{'^J' 


M--"-'^ 


MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 


BY  W.  M.  L.   JAY, 

Author  of  " SMloTi" 


This  country  excels  all  others,  as  far  as  the  day  surpasses  the  night  in  'brightness 
and  splendor.— CoiiXTMBTTS. 

A  land  of  leaf  and  bloom. 
Of  shining  palm  and  drooping  coco-tree, 
Of  spiced  mimosa,  tremulous  bamboo, 
And  giant  ceiba,  in  an  air  of  balm. 

LtTTO. 


NEW  YORK: 

E.   P.   BUTTON    &    CO.,    713    BROADWAY. 

HARTFORD:  CHURCH  PRESS. 

1871. 


KiittTfd.  accord  in  J,'  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1871,  by 

E.  P.  DUTTOX  &  CO., 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


M.    II.    MALUOr    *   CO., 

PkllTTKKM   AUD    KLEOTXlTTrama. 

MAJR-FOMLO,  COKH. 


TO  THE 


HOJ^E-GI(BOLE, 

For  whose  Pear  pYES  it  was  J^irst  ^/'ritten, 

^1)10  (Iljronkle 

IS     RIGMITFXJXjLY     I3EDIC-A.TEI?, 


PREFACE. 


The  personal  pronoun  "my"  in  the  title  of  tlie 
present  work  is  explanatory,  not  egotistical.  Tlie 
'^  Winter"  herein  described  is  mine,  and  not  another's, 
in  that  it  deals  so  largely  with  that  domestic  side  of 
Cuban  life,  which  few  travellers  ever  see,  and  whereof 
none,  to  my  knowledge,  have  ever  written.  The 
reader  may  find  elsewhere  more  graphic  descriptions 
of  Cuba's  scenery;  combined  with  accurate  tables  of 
her  statistics,  and  profound  views  of  her  politics ;  but 
he  will  find  no  work  that  opens  to  him  so  frankly  the 
doors  of  Cuban  homes,  and  allows  him  to  watch  the 
inner  currents  of  Cuban  life.  Kor  could  the  present 
narrative  have  flowed  thus  freely  across  private 
thresholds,  except  by  the  use  of  fictitious  names. 
There  may  have  been  Samakos  in  Cuba,  but  I  never 
saw  them  there.  The  real  names  of  my  kind  enter- 
tainers are  stereotj^Ded  only  on  my  heart.  But,  with 
this  slight  exception,  the  narrative  may  be  relied  upon 
as  strictly  true. 

If  it  be  found  to  touch  but  lightly  upon  matters 
of  policy  and  government,  it  is  because  their  present 


vi  PREFACE. 

asj^cct  is  felt  to  be  so  transitory.  Enongli  has  been 
said  to  show  tliat  tlie  Cubans  had  cause  for  revolt; 
more  niii,^lit  cease  to  be  pertinent  between  the  pen  and 
the  press.  "Whether  the  present  rebellion  succeed  or 
no,  its  ultimate  effect  can  scarcely  fail  to  be  beneficial 
to  the  Cubans.  Whether  that  benefit  is  to  come 
through  ameHoration  of  the  Spanish  rule,  independ- 
ence, or  annexation,  it  is  not  worth  while  to  predict. 
But  all  those  who  have  felt  the  fascination  of  the 
beautiful  island,  and  keep  her  fair  memory  in  their 
hearts,  will  most  devoutly  j)ray  that  it  come  soon,  and 
bring  with  it  social,  political,  and  religious  regenera- 
tion. 

Hudson,  N.  Y.,  July,  1871. 


OONTEI^TS. 


I.  WnEBEFOKE,       . 

II.  The  Voyage,    . 

in.   LANDDs^a  AND  HOTEL,         . 

rv.  At  the  Retreta,     . 

V  The  Palace  akd  Plaza, 
Yl.  Within  and  Without  the  Walls, 
VII*.  C0LI3EBUS.— The  Cathedral, 
VIII  The  Fish-Market,  .        •  ^ 

ix'.  Shopping.-Street  Sights.-I.a  Ftierza 

X.  Fro:*i  Havana  to  Matanzas 

XI.  E\^RY  Morning,      . 
Xll.  DuRiN'G  THE  Day,     . 

XIII.  Every  Evening, 

XIV.  The  Valley  of  Yr^iuRi, 
XV.  Las  Cuevas  de  Bellamar, 

XVI.  A  Procession,  . 
XVII.  A  Te  Deum,      . 
XVIII   Sunday  Seeings  and  Doings, 
XIX.  The  Entrance  and  Exit  op  Lent, 
XX.  CosAS  DE  Cuba, 
XXI.  To  Santa  SoeI a,      . 
XXII.  The  Ingenio,    . 

XXIII.  Plantation  Pictures^ 

XXIV.  Fire  in  the  Cane! 
XXV.  A  Cafetal, 

XXVI.  Bemba  and  Loionar, 
XXVII.  Shadow,     . 
XXVIII.  Waiting  in  Havana, 
XXIX.  Departure, 


9 

13 

16 

26 

33 

39 

49 

61 

69 

80 

93 

103 

117 

131 

140 

155 
,   103 
.   169 
.   184 
.   195 
.   211 
.   217 
.   227 
.   247 
.   253 
.  264 
.   270 
.   278 
.  293 


My  Winter  in  Cuba, 


CHAPTER    I. 

WHEEEFOEE. 

a  /CHANGE  of  climate,"  j^rescribed  the  doctor,  at 
the  end  of  his  wits  and  the  materia  medica. 

I  only  looked  into  the  fire,  and   smiled.     But  the 
doctor  quickly  diagnosed  the  smile,  and  detected  satire. 

"  Well  ? "    said   he,   in   his   crisp,   no-time-to-waste, 
professional  tone. 

"  I  was  reminded,"  said  I,  "  of  a  ludicrous  little  inci- 
dent that  I  witnessed  last  summer.  A  frightened  ox- 
team  ran  away  with  an  empty  cart  and  a  drunken 
driver.  After  the  clumsy  vehicle  had  been  violently 
whisked  over  logs  and  rocks,  and  through  bushes  and 
briars,  and  the  unhappy  occupant,  clutching  at  the  air, 
alternately  rolled  from  side  to  side  and  end  to  end 
thereof,  the  one  was  upset  and  the  other  pitched  into  a 
wayside  ditch.  'Why  didn't  you  jump  out?  '  chorused 
the  bystanders,  as  they  picked  him  up.  *I  sh-should 
just  like  to  know,'  hiccoughed  he,  angrily,  *  h-how  I 
could  jump  out,  when  I  c-couldn't  stay  in  ! '  " 
1* 


10  MY   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

"  Oh !  the  jumping  out  can  be  managed  for  you," 
said  le  cure^  benignantly. 

"  Certainly,"  quoth  the  doctor,  with  a  twinkle  in  his 
eye.  "  Was  not  the  story  intended  to  point  the  moral 
that  people  who  can  neither  stay  in  nor  jump  out,  must 
be  pitched  out  ?  How  would  you  like  to  be  pitched  into 
Florida,  for  instance  ?  " 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders  ungraciously.  I  had  all 
an  invalid's  reluctance  to  move  out  of  the  narrow  orbit 
wherein  he  has  swung  so  long  as  to  be  at  once  tired  of 
it  and  wedded  to  it. 

"  There  is  Juan's  invitation,"  suggested  le  cure. 

"  Eh  !  what  ?  "  said  the  doctor,  discovering  a  gleam 
of  something  like  interest  in  my  face. 

"  Juan,"  briefly  explained  le  cure^  "  is  a  youth  who 
was  consigned  to  us  by  a  mutual  friend,  three  years 
ago,  "v\4th  the  handsomest  of  Spanish  faces,  and  the 
most  stubborn  of  Spanish  tongues,  to  be  taught  English. 
lie  stayed  with  us  two  years,  became  to  us  as  a  brother, 
went  hence  to  Cuba,  and  is  continually  entreating  one 
or  all  of  us  to  visit  him  there." 

"The  very  thing!"  said  the  doctor,  rising.  "Pack 
up  your  iig  leaves,  and  be  off  at  once ! " 

"Pray,"  asked  I,  "can  you  tell  me  whether  said 
leaves  should  be  plucked  from  a  flax  plant  or  a  sheep's 
back  ?  " 

He  hesitated,  with  his  hand  upon  the  Joor-knob. 

"Write  to  la  Clarita^''  said  le  cure.  "She  visited 
Cuba,  you  remember." 

The  doctor  nodded  approvingly  and  shut  the  door. 


O 


WHEREFORE.  1 1 

This  was  what  la  Clarita  wrote  back : 

"  Fig  leaves,  did  you  ask  ?  Those  which  you  shed 
in  the  hottest  part  of  last  summer — if  they  are  not  too 
faded.  The  Cubans,  when  they  outgrow  their  Eden 
garment  of  innocence  (which  is  not  so  early  as  sophisti- 
cated foreigners  could  wish  !),  get  the  summer  fashions 
from  Paris,  and  wear  them  throughout  the  year.  Y 
'porque  no  ?     Have  they  not  summer  all  the  time  ?  " 

And  thus  it  came  to  pass  that  I  spent  a  winter  in 
Cuba,  and  wrote  thereof  as  follows : — 


CHAPTER  n/ 

THE   VOYAGE. 

TTEAVY  clouds  brooded  above,  and  the  air  was 
thick  with  snow.  It  was  the  dreariest  of  drear 
December  days.  From  the  deck  of  the  "  Eagle,"  I 
watched  the  forms  of  friends  on  shore  merge  and  fade 
in  the  distance,  and  their  waving  handkerchiefs  flicker 
and  go  out  like  spent  lamps.  After  them  glided  the 
snow-whitened  shores  of  the  harbor,  the  islands,  the 
Narrows ;  over  me  settled  a  sense  of  isolation  and  exile 
chiller  than  the  snowflakes,  and  grayer  than  the  gather- 
ing twilight.  Only  those  who  have  tasted  this  one 
great  droj)  of  bitterness  in  the  pleasant  cup  of  foreign 
travel,  can  realize  how  completely,  for  the  time,  it 
neutralizes  every  sweetness  which  Hope  and  Imagi- 
nation present  to  the  lips.  It  seems  as  if  no  land, 
however  bright  with  tropical  sunshine,  however  mossed 
and  garlanded  with  legend,  song,  or  story,  can  ever  be 
so  fair  as  that  which  is  fast  becoming  only  a  blue  line 
upon  the  horizon ;  and  which,  when  it  sinks  beneath  the 
wave,  seems  to  have  left  you  homeless  in  the  world. 

For  change  of  scene,  temperature,  and  mood,  I  went 
below.  A  forlorn  circle  of  passengers  was  drawn  round 
a  huge,  red  stove,  which  toasted   their  faces,  without 


THE    VOYAGE.  13 

in  the  least  mitigating  the  chill  at  their  backs.  My 
stateroom  was  like  an  icehouse.  Fig  leaves,  indeed !  I 
wished  that  mine  had  been  of  sable  and  otter,  six  deep ! 
Fortunately,  the  good  ship  "Eagle"  had  foreseen  the 
want,  and  provided  ample  store  of  blankets.  In  these 
I  wrapped  myself,  and  wondered  how  she  stood  it,  with 
full  dress  of  naught  but  ropes  and  spars,  and  for  rohe  cle 
nuit  a  wet  sheet  and  a  flowing  sea ! 

It  would  seem  that  every  pain  turns  to  something  like 
pleasure  in  the  retrospect.  Else,  why  should  sea-voya- 
gers invariably  linger  so  lovingly,  in  print,  over  those 
pangs  of  sea-sickness  that  were  so  ii'ksome,  in  fact !  I 
shall  not  follow  their  examj^le  further  than  to  state  that 
I  spent  the  two  following  days  under  the  aforenamed 
blankets,  testing  the  virtues  of  various  remedies  for  inal 
de  mer^  provided  by  kind  and  credulous  friends;  and 
that  I  left  a  goodly  collection  of  half-emptied  phials  on 
the  shelf  of  my  berth,  for  the  behoof  of  any  future 
occupant  disposed  to  try  such  exj)eriments.  May  he 
find  the  study  more  pleasing  and  profitable  than  I  did  ! 

During  the  third  night  out,  there  was  a  rapid 
increase  of  temperature ;  and  the  morning  was  like  a 
morning  in  mid-June.  Through  my  narrow  window  I 
beheld  a  cloudless  sky,  a  golden  shimmer  of  sunshine,  a 
sea  blue  and  tranquil  as  an  inland  lake.  The  stateroom 
grew  insufierably  hot  and  stuffy ;  I  was  fain  to  take  a 
pillow  and  drag  myself  to  the  U2:>per  deck,  which  was 
roofed  with  an  awning,  furnished  with  chairs,  and  so 
transformed  into  a  kind  of  sky-parlor.  Here  were 
grouped  many  of  the  passengers, — the  ladies  enjoying 


14  MT   WINTER  IN  CUBA, 

chat,  books,  and  fancy-work,  the  gentlemen,  political 
discussions  and  cigars  ;  with  here  and  there  a  j^ale  and 
spiritless  individual,  like  myself,  caring  to  do  nothing 
but  gaze  at  sea  and  sky  and  far-off  glimpses  of  shore. 

Nearly  all  day,  we  were  in  sight  of  the  Florida 
coast,  studded  with  islands,  and  broken  by  such  deep 
indentations  that,  at  times,  it  seemed  to  be  coming  out 
to  meet  us,  showing  distinctly  a  low  sweep  of  sand- 
beach,  and  a  thick  fringe  of  evergreen  oaks  ;  and  anon 
receding  to  only  a  faint  line  in  the  distance.  The 
rising  of  clouds  from  the  ocean  is  a  singular  and  inter- 
esting sight ;  they  seem  both  nearer  and  denser  than  on 
land.  I  watched  a  number  of  dark  cloud-peaks  come 
slowly  into  view,  solid  enough,  in  appearance,  to  deceive 
one  into  the  belief  that  they  belonged  to  a  veritable 
mountain  range, — only  that,  after  a  little,  they  broke, 
scattered,  and  vanished,  in  unmistakable  cloud  fashion. 

After  a  time,  I  fell  into  conversation  with  some  of  my 
fellow-passengers,  and  was  amazed  to  learn  what  an 
amount  of  gossip  was  current  among  them, — yes,  posi- 
tively, gossip  ! — on  a  steamer  only  three  days  out,  with 
a  crowd  of  passengers  gathered  from  the  four  quarters 
of  the  globe,  not  a  dozen  of  whom  had  ever  met  before, 
or  would  ever  meet  agjain !  The  histories  of  one 
deserted  wife,  and  one  heart-broken  one,  of  a  runaway 
couple,  a  defaulter  fleeing  from  justice,  a  Mexican 
Crasus,  a  bewitching  flirt,  et  ca^tera,  et  csetera,  were 
told  me  with  a  clearness  of  outline  and  a  breadth  of 
color  that  defied  criticism.  I  listened  and  marvelled, 
admiring  the  ingenuity  that  had  invented  all  these  con- 


THE    VOYAGE.  15 

cuiTent  details,  or  the  detective  skill  that  had  wormed 
them  out.  It  might  be  that  the  talent  was  here  running 
to  waste  ! 

At  sunset,  there  was  a  lavish  outpouring  of  brilliant 
color,  and  some  wonderful  sky-scenery.  At  early  dusk 
we  made  the  southernmost  Florida  light,  and  then 
quickly  left  it  behind.  At  the  rising  of  the  moon, 
we  looked  out  over  an  unbroken  extent  of  shining, 
murmuring  semi-tropical  sea.  I  say  semi^  to  be  geo- 
graphically correct,  the  Tropic  of  Cancer  not  yet  being 
jDassed.  But  for  artistic  and  atmospheric  accuracy  the 
qualification  is  not  needed. 

iSTow,  finally,  it  was  necessary  to  face  the  horrors  of 
my  stateroom.  Like  many  anticipated  evils,  they  shrank 
to  nothingness  in  the  reality.  The  demon  of  sea-sick- 
ness had  flown.  Over  the  moonlit  ocean,  I  sailed  softly 
into  Dreamland. 

One  more  day  of  smooth  gliding  through  balmiest 
sunshine  and  gentlest  trade- winds,  of  quiet  enjoyment 
of  pleasant  ocean  pictures  and  curious  contrasts  of  faces, 
characters,  and  languages ;  of  gromng  strength  and 
spirits;  of  eating  and  drinking,  chatting,  gossiping, 
musing,  and  yawning; — one  more  night  of  moonlight 
splendor  and  peace  ; — and  the  voyage  was  over. 


CHAPTER  in. 

THE    LANDING    AND    HOTEL. 

/^NLY  four  days  and  a  half  from  'New  York  to 
Havana ! — that  is  to  say,  from  snow  to  verdure, 
from  frost  to  flowers,  from  bare,  gray  boughs  to  cluster- 
ing fruits,  from  winter  to  summer !  There  is  a  touch  of 
enchantment — of  Aladdin's  lamp  and  the  Emir's  carpet 
— about  it ! 

The  first  land  made  by  south -going  steamers  is  the 
Monte  del  Pan,  or  Bread  Mountain,  of  Matanzas  ;  which 
we  saw  with  the  earliest  sunbeams  on  its  top.  There- 
after, we  skirted  the  Cuban  coast  for  two  or  three  hours^ 
near  enough  to  see  that  the  island's  surface  was  green 
and  undulating,  on  the  ocean,  and  that  it  rose  into  moun- 
tain and  table-land,  in  the  interior.  By  and  by,  palms 
and  other  forms  of  tropical  vegetation  were  dimly  dis- 
tinguishable. Thereupon  the  whole  land  became  picture 
and  poem,  and  I  slid  into  delicious  reverie,  and  took  but 
vague  note  of  time  or  scene,  till  roused  by  the  report 
of  a  gun  to  see  that  Havana  was  full  in  view. 

To  tlie  left,  Avas  tlie  far-famed  Morro  Castle,  with 
little  of  the  grimness  of  a  fortress  about  it,  but  much  of 
the  dreamy  and  delicate  beauty  of  an  enchanted  palace. 


THE  LAXDIXG   AXD   HOTEL.  17 

* 

So  it  seemed  to  me,  at  least ;  but  I  suspect  that  I  saw 
everything  couUur-de-rose,  at  that  moment.  Its  walls  of 
a  light  golden  brown,  seemed  to  grow  out  of,  rather 
than  to  be  built  upon,  a  ridge  of  rocks  curiously  worn 
and  seamed  by  the  action  of  the  water;  from  the 
midst  of  which  rose  a  single,  lofty,  slender  tower,  with 
a  graceful  balcony  and  beacon  at  top ;  the  whole  looking 
so  slight  and  aerial,  in  the  shimmering  sunshine,  that  I 
should  scarcely  have  marvelled  to  see  it  melt  slowly,  and 
vanish  in  thin  wreaths  of  mist.  That  this  fair  vision 
had  teeth  was  made  plain,  however,  by  a  long  line  of 
embrasures  for  cannon ;  nor  did  the  sharp  hail  of  a 
sentry  from  its  walls,  demanding  the  steamer's  name 
and  port  of  departure,  sound  wholly  amiable.  The 
position  of  the  castle  gives  it  entire  control  of  the 
entrance  to  the  harbor,  which  is  a  kind  of  channel, 
scarcely  more  than  three  hundred  yards  wide,  and 
about  a  thousand  long.  On  the  point  opposite  the 
Morro,  is  a  smaller,  older,  and  less  striking  fortification, 
known  as  "El  Castillo  de  la  Punta,"  built  in  1589,  by 
Philip  II. ;  in  the  rear  of  which  are  seen  the  white  walls 
of  the  city  prison.  Back  from  the  Punta,  in  either  direc- 
tion, stretches  the  city ;  the  old,  historic  portion,  with 
its  grim  walls  and  bastions,  following  the  channel  and 
the  bay,  while  the  new  part,  with  long  lines  of  green 
trees  marking  the  course  of  its  pleasant  ixiseos^  extends 
along  the  ocean. 

Passing  between  the  Morro  and  the  Punta,  and 
entering  the  channel,  we  came  in  sight  of  the  "  Caba- 
nas," a  huge,  strong  fort  behind  the  Morro,  commanding 


18  MV   WIXTER  IN  CUBA. 

both  that  and  the  city,  as  well  as  the  greater  part  of 
the  bay.  It  is  built  of  the  same  stone  that  forms  the 
steep  bluff  on  which  it  stands,  and  so  difficult  is  it  to 
discover  the  exact  line  where  rock  and  masonry  meet 
that  one  is  almost  driven  to  conclude  that  its  walls  and 
bastions  are  the  result  of  some  strange  freak  of  nature. 
Soon  the  channel  widened  into  the  open  harbor — an 
irregular  sheet  of  water,  in  shape  somewhat  resembling 
a  trefoil,  and  not  far  from  three  miles  long,  but  consider^ 
ably  less  than  half  as  wide.  Very  beautiful  it  looked 
from  our  steamer's  deck,  set  in  the  midst  of  low  green 
hills,  gilded  by  the  morning  sun,  and  with  a  multitude 
of  ships  of  all  nations  lying  on  its  bosom  and  reflected — ' 
every  hulk,  every  spar,  every  rope — in  its  still  depths. 
Some  of  these  reflections  were  broken  into  wavering, 
indistinct  fragments  as  we  steamed  past  and,  turning  to 
the  right,  dropped  anchor  about  half  a  mile  from  the 
custom  house,  to  await  the  coming  of  the  Health  Officer, 
before  whose  visit  nobody  could  be  permitted  to  leave 
the  vessel  or  to  come  on  board.  It  Avas  out  of  the  kindest 
consideration,  doubtless,  that  this  official  kept  us  waiting 
for  an  hour  or  two.  It  gave  us  time  to  observe  the  odd 
architecture  and  colors  of  HaA'ana,  and  to  make  our- 
selves familiar  with  the  relative  positions  of  harbor, 
fortifications,  city,  and  suburbs — knowledge  that  would 
be  of  service  by  and  by ;  also,  to  realize  that  our  weary 
souls  had  arrived  off  a  land  where  life  was  not  lived  in 
a  perpetual  hurry,  nor  a  Avhole  people  bent  on  getting 
ahead  of  time,  being  once  fully  persuaded  of  which,  we 
should  be  better  fitted  for  life  on  its  shores. 


THE  LAXniXG   AND   HOTEL.  19 

For  further  pastime,  we  could  watch  the  movements 
of  a  fleet  of  small,  awning-covered  boats,  by  which  the 
steamer  was  surrounded  innnediatcly  on  casting  anchor. 
The  swarthy  boatmen  in  charge  tliereof  demeaned  tliem- 
selves  much  like  a  crowd  of  ISTew  York  hackmen, 
shouting,  swearing,  crowding,  and  tryhig  to  bargain 
with  such  of  the  passengers  as  were  within  hail,  for  the 
debarkation  of  themselves  and  luggage.  Some  of  them, 
too,  held  up  great  bunches  of  bananas  and  other  fruits 
for  sale. 

At  last,  Mr.  Health  Officer  appeared,  inspected  the 
ship's  papers  and  condition,  pronounced  "  all  right,"  and 
lifted  his  hat  politely  to  captain  and  passengers  as  he 
went  over  the  side ;  whereupon,  the  decks  of  the  steamer 
immediately  swarmed  with  a  crowd  of  boatmen,  huck- 
sters, idlers,  and  exjDectant  friends,  comparable  only 
to  the  miraculous  gathering  of  the  locusts  in  Egypt. 
Amid  this  vociferous  crowd,  my  friend  Juan's  smiling 
face  soon  beamed  out  like  a  veritable  beacon-light  to 
one  sailing  on  unknown  waters  ;  and  a  few  moments 
later,  I  found  myself  in  one  of  the  afore-mentioned  boats, 
being  rowed  toward  the  custom  house  landing.  It  is 
impossible  to  describe  the  exceeding  chai*m  of  that 
moment !  Glad  to  escape  from  the  confinement  and 
discomforts  of  the  steamer,  interested  by  the  novelty 
and  beauty  of  the  scene,  lulled  by  the  soft  gliding  mo- 
tion of  the  boat  and  the  musical  plashing  of  the  oars, 
and  refreshed  by  the  cool  breeze  which  just  rippled  the 
surface  of  the  sparkling  water,  I  thouglit  that  the  very 
essence  of  enjoyment  had  been  distilled  for  my  tasting ! 


20  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

After  snow-banks  and  frost-rime,  brown,  bare  boughs, 
and  winds  straiglit  from  polar  ice-fields,  these  green 
banks  !  these  waving  j^alms  !  these  caressing  breezes  !  I 
felt  as  if  I  had  landed  in  another  planet ! 

At  the  custom  house,  there  was  another  delay  of 
half-an-hour,  ere  my  trunks  took  their  turn  at  being 
examined — not  a  formidable  operation,  when  the  keys 
are  readily  and  good-humoredly  produced.  A  courteous 
official,  in  a  light  and  becoming  uniform  of  linen,  thrust 
a  remarkably  white  hand  down  a  corner  of  each  of  my 
trunks,  without  anywise  displacing  the  contents  ;  and 
immediately  signified_,  by  a  polite  bow  and  gesture,  that 
his  business  with  them  was  over. 

From  the  custom  house  I  stepped  into  what  I 
thought  the  oddest  vehicle  conceivable,  until  the  sight 
of  a  "  volante,"  thereafter,  convicted  me  of  a  mistake. 
.This  affair  was  in  size  and  shape  much  like  one  of  our 
barouches,  but  mounted  on  two  wheels  only,  with  shafts 
of  an  absurd  length ;  at  the  farther  extremity  of  which, 
with  much  superfluous  expenditure  of  leather  and  metal, 
was  harnessed  a  little,  stout  pony,  who  shook  his  square 
liead,  and  trotted  off  with  the  clumsy  vehicle  as  if  it 
were  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world.  Indeed,  I  am  fast 
verging  to  the  opinion  that  a  native  Cuban  horse  is  the 
strongest,  toughest  specimen  of  the  equine  race  that 
trots  on  the  face  of  the  globe.  I  have  little  to  say  for 
his  beauty,  however. 

I  was  unprepared  to  find  Havana  so  thoroughly  Ori- 
ental— perhaps  I  should  say,  Moorish — in  its  aspect. 
The   same   narrow   streets,   roofed   with    awnings — the 


THE  LANDING   AND   HOTEL.  21 

same  one-storied  houses,  built  ground  a  court — the  same 
shallow  shops,  on  a  level  with  the  pavement,  and  all 
open  in  front,  exposing  their  entire  contents  to  view — 
the  same  long  files  of  cumbrously  laden  mules,  tied 
together,  and  with  a  gayly-dressed  muleteer  in  charge 
— and  the  same  bright-turbaned,  stately-stejoping  ne- 
gresses,  with  heavy  burdens  poised  on  their  heads. 
Matiy  of  the  cross  streets  are  so  narrow  that  only  a 
single  vehicle  can  pass  through,  and  it  becomes  a  matter 
of  wonderment  how  awkward  meetings  and  hindrances 
are  avoided.  The  pavements,  too,  are  only  designed  for 
the  accommodation  of  one  foot-passenger.  Parties  must 
go  in  single  file;  while  passing  is  accomplished  by  a 
turning  sideways,  and  a  nice  calculation  of  distances 
and  adjustment  of  angles ;  unless,  as  is  most  usual,  one 
of  the  parties  prefers  to  step  down  into  the  street. 

Arrived  at  the  "  Hotel  del  Telegrafo,"  I  was  con- 
ducted to  my  room  by  so  circuitous  a  route,  that  I 
begged  Juan  to  come  for  me  at  the  dinner-hour,  much 
doubting  my  ability  to  find  my  way  out  of  the  laby- 
rinth. First  up  stairs,  then  down — then  across  a  court — 
then  up  again — then  through  somebody's  private  parlor 
— then  across  a  portion  of  the  roof — and  so  on,  until  I 
grew  confused,  and  gave  up  trying  to  take  any  "  bear- 
ings." At  length,  I  reached  a  room,  oj^ening  on  a 
court,  threw  myself  into  a  rocking  chair,  and  looked 
around  me  with  some  curiosity  as  to  what  my  first 
lodging  in  Cuba  might  be. 

Certainly,  it  had  the  merit  of  novelty  !  A  doorway, 
lofty  and  ample  enough  to  admit  a  coach  and  six ;  two 


22  3rY  JVT^"J\tJK  ly  Cuba. 

doors,  suiFiciently  heavy  to  stand  a  siege,  and  with  such 
an  accumulation  of  odd  and  uncouth  bolts  and  hasps 
and  padlocks  as  would  have  been  unpleasantly  sug- 
gestive of  midnight  assault,  if  the  thick  coat  of  rust 
thereon  had  not  saved  them  from  any  suspicion  of 
ever  being  used.  Two  windows,  one  so  high  that  I  was 
forced  to  climb  upon  a  chair  to  look  out ;  both  iron-grated, 
like  a  prison,  and  with  heavy,  wooden,  inside  shutters, 
into  one  of  which  was  inserted  a  single  pane  of  glass,  for 
the  admission  of  light  on  rainy  days,  probably, — from 
which,  heaven  preserve  us  !  A  lofty  ceiling  of  huge 
beams  and  boards,  painted  blue,  by  way  of  pleasant 
contrast  with  the  deep  green  of  the  window  frames  and 
the  red  and  yellow  tiles  of  the  floor!  Carpet?  Ko, 
friend ;  carpets  are  almost  unknown  in  Cuba.  I  have 
seen  one,  about  the  size  of  a  table-cloth,  spread  in  the 
middle  of  the  floor  of  the  salon,  on  state  occasions ;  but 
neither  carpets  nor  matting  are  in  common  use,  and 
"would  only  be  hiding-places  for  vermin,  if  they  were. 

By  way  of  furniture,  my  room  owned  a  dressing- 
table  and  chairs  of  unmistakably  Yankee  origin;  but 
there,  all  familiar  forms  ceased.  The  bedstead  was  of 
iron,  narrow  and  high,  with  ample  provision  of  lace- 
edged  mosquito-netting,  indicative  of  unpleasant  noc- 
turnal visitants.  Upon  examination,  it  proved  to  be 
destitute  of  either  mattress  or  bed,  nothing  in  the  world 
to  sleep  on  except  a  sacking  bottom,  Avith  a  sheet 
spread  over!  This  is  the  universal  custom  of  the 
Cubans  ;  they  hold  it  to  be  more  comfortable,  in  their 
climate,  than  anything   softer.     I  do  not  quarrel   with 


THE  LANDING   AND   HOTEL,  23 

the  theory,  bat  I  am  hound  to  say  that  I  found 
it  extremely  hard  to  conform  to  the  practice.  A 
pair  of  pillows  stuffed  with  moss,  not  mucli  harder 
than  a  log,  and  a  perfect  nightmare  of  a  flowered  coun- 
terpane, completed  the  bed-furniture.  Add  to  the  above, 
a  pair  of  large  water-jars,  of  Pompeian  pattern,  a  queer 
carved  centre-table,  of  Venetian  pattern,  a  wash-stand 
absolutely  sid  generis,  and  a  row  of  brass  hooks,  and 
you  have  my  room  and  its  furnishings  complete.  Kever- 
theless,  it  was  golden  with  sunshine,  and  fresh  with 
breeze,  and  had  a  foreign  flavor  about  it  very  pleasing 
to  a  traveller. 

At  four  o'clock,  Juan  came  with  an  invitation  to  dine 
with  certain  American  friends  of  his,  recent  arrivals  at 
the  hotel.  After  the  usual  number  of  twistings  and  turn- 
ings, ascents  and  descents,  we  reached  their  j^leasant 
parlor,  and  I  was  welcomed  as  cordially  as  if  I  had 
always  been  known  to  them.    "All  Americans  are  friends 

in  a  foreign  country,"  said  Mrs.  R ;  and  I  was  quite 

ready  to  accept  the  doctrine,  as  my  new  acquaintances 
-were  cultured  and  agreeable,  and  a  seat  at  their  tfible 
much  more  to  my  taste  than  one  in  the  public  dining- 
room.  Nor  was  it  too  retired,  as  you  will  divine, 
when  you  are  informed,  that  a  private  parlor  in  the 
"  Hotel  del  Telegrafo,"  means  nothing  more  nor  less  than 
a  sort  of  hall  or  ante-chamber,  surrounded  by  bedrooms 
whose  dooMS  oj^en  iipon  it,  and  whose  occupants  must 
needs  be  constantly  j^assing  in  and  out.  The  present 
specimen  was  large  and  lofty,  furnished  with  American 
rockers   and    large    antique    vases,    and    floored    with 


24  MY   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

marble,  in  alternate  blocks  of  black  and  white.  At  one 
end  was  the  wide  doorway,  opening  upon  a  portion  of 
the  roof,  by  which  we  had  gained  admittance ;  at  the 
other,  a  broad,  balconied  window  overlooking  the  mili- 
tary parade  ground,  known  as  "  El  Campo  de  Marte," 
and  giving  an  almost  unlimited  view  of  the  quaint,  tiled 
roofs  of  the  city, — the  hotels  being  among  the  very  few 
buildings  that  can  boast  of  more  than  one  story. 

The  dinner  was  really  good  and  well-served,  although 
the  dishes  were  mostly  new  acquaintances,  or  so  dis- 
guised by  strange  sauces  and  modes  of  cookery  as  to  defy 
recognition.  "  Will  you  take  some  of  this  queer-looking 
compound  ?  "  questioned  my  hostess,  as  each  dish  made 
its  appearance ;  "  I  haven't  the  slightest  idea  what  it  is, 
nor  if  it  is  good, — you  must  taste  and  see,  as  w^e  do  !  " 
In  general,  the  tasting  was  not  disagreeable,  though  now 
and  then,  it  resulted-  in  irrepressibly  wry  faces ;  which, 
however,  only  added  to  the  mirth  of  the  party.  The 
attendant  showed  a  most  unusual  and  praiseworthy 
readiness  to  supply  whatever  was  desired.  On  one 
occasion,  being  asked,  if  "  chicken"  formed  any  part  of 
our  bill  of  fare,  he  replied,  "  No,  but  I  will  maJ^e  one !  " 
which  soon  appeared,  in  verification  of  the  statement, 
and  did  credit  to  his  powers  of  creation,  being  in  no 
wise  inferior  to  the  article  produced  in  ordinary  process 
of  hatching  and  growth. 

And  such  fruits  as  came  on  for  dessert !  Oranges,  of 
which  only  the  most  remote  of  kin  ever  enters  the  United 
States  ;  bananas  that  seem  to  rej)eat  to  the  taste  all  that 
a  summer  sunset  gives  to  the   eye ;  and  melaos^  unfa- 


THE  LANDING   AND   HOTEL.  25 

miliar  to  you  by  name,  but  which  you  can  conceive  of 
as  a  sort  of  sweet,  rose-colored  cream,  eaten  with  a 
spoon  from  a  thick,  brown  rind  or  skin,  about  the  size 
of  a  musk-melon,  but  of  a  more  oblong  shape.  Un- 
happy dwellers  in  a  frozen  clime,  what  would  you  not 
give  for  a  share  in  such  luxuries  as  these  ! 

Afterward,  there  was  a  visit  to  the  roof,  to  watch 
the  large,  tropical  moon  sailing  gloriously  through  the 
heavens ;  mellowing  into  soft  lines  and  harmonious 
tints  the  angular  forais  and  incongruous  colors  of  the 
city,  and  touching  the  distant  harbor  with  a  shimmer 
of  silver  light.  Here,  I  saw  plainly  what  I  had  before 
suspected,  that  the  hotel  was  an  odd  jumble  of  build- 
ings of  different  heights  and  ages,  connected  together 
by  a  new  and  imposing  front ;  and  my  after  wanderings 
through  its  mazes,  the  utter  confusion  of  mind  that 
seized  upon  me  whenever  I  lost  sight  of  my  own  door, 
the  odd  mistakes  that  I  made,  the  awkward  intrusions 
of  which  I  was  guilty,  would  form  an  amusing  and  vo- 
luminous chapter  of  my  Cuban  exj)eriences.  Seldom 
did  I  reach  my  destination  without  stirring  up  some 
lazy  mozo  from  a  stolen  nap  in  a  dusky  corner,  and 
putting  myself  under  his  guidance. 

Yet,  notw^ithstanding  this  and  other  drawbacks,  the 
"  Hotel  del  Telegrafo  "  is  the  best  of  the  Spanish  hotels, 
in  Havana.  And  who  would  go  thither  to  stop  at  an 
"American  Hotel?"  Are  there  not  enough  of  them 
and  to  spare,  at  home ! 


CHAPTER  IV. 

AT  THE   RETEETA. 

A  SORT  of  open  air  concert  is  given,  every  evening, 
from  eight  to  nine  o'clock,  by  the  Government  of 
Havana,  in  two  of  the  public  squares  of  the  city,  the 
music  being  furnishe'd  by  the  regimental  bands.  This 
is  called  the  "  retreta^'^  and  thither  flock  foreigners  and 
natives,  in  crowds.  The  former  behold  there  many 
striking  features  of  Cuban  life,  and  to  the  latter  it  is 
the  place  where  friends  meet,  and  lovers  woo,  and 
flirtations  go  on,  and  toilets  are  displayed, — the  music 
seeming  to  be  only  a  secondary  consideration.  To  the 
retreta,  therefore,  went  our  small  party  of  four, — which, 
nevertheless,  represented  three  nationalities,  Spain,  Eng- 
land, and  the  United  States, — in  a  large  barouche,  such 
vehicles  being  kept  on  hire,  for  the  convenience  of 
parties ;  the  native  volante  admitting  of  but  two — or  at 
most,  three — occupants. 

The  x>laza  was  crowded  when  we  anived,  the  music 
already  begun,  and  the  volaiites  standing  in  double  and 
triple  rows  all  around  the  enclosure.  In  these  odd 
equipages  sat  the  dark-eyed  Cuhcmas^  in  that  minimum 
of  attire  which  "Society"  absurdly  terms  "full  dress." 
Their  coiffures  were  elaborate,  but,  as  far  as  I  could  see, 


AT  THE  RETRETA.  27 

they  were  without  bonnet,  veil,  shawl,  or  any  Avrap  what- 
soever. I  looked  eagerly  for  the  black  lace  mantilla, 
always  a  graceful  and  indispensable  accessory  to  the 
ideal  picture  of  Spanish  beauty,  drawn  from  books,  and 
hung  in  a  sunny  corner  of  Memory's -gallery ;  but  I  anT 
told  it  is  now  discarded,  except  for  wearing  to  Mass  on 
Sundays.  The  full,  flowing  skirts  of  these  ladies  were 
spread  carefully  out  at  each  side  of  the  volante,  hanging 
nearly  to  the  ground,  and  giving  to  the  vehicle,  when 
viewed  from  the  rear,  the  appearance  of  being  furnished 
with  wings.  This  is  the  prevailing  style ;  no  Cuban 
lady  thinks  it  necessary  or  expedient  to  tuck  her  skirts 
into  her  carriage.  Such  an  arrangement  would  not 
sufficiently  display  their  length  and  showy  trimmings ; 
and  her  opportunities  for  exhibiting  them  elsewhere  are 
extremely  limited.  The  practice  is  not  so  utterly  ruinous 
as  it  would  seem,  the  wheels  of  the  vehicle  being  so  far 
in  the  rear  as  to  preclude  any  danger  of  contact. 

But  the  volantes  themselves — or  the  quitrins^  as  the 
more  modern  and  stylish  variety  is  called — attracted  my 
attention  at  first  even  more  than  their  occupants.  I 
"N^dshed  that  one  could  be  transferred  bodily — horses, 
harness,  postilion,  inmates,  and  all — to  the  Central 
Park,  some  fine  day.  Not  Cleopatra's  chariot,  wdth  the 
beautiful  Egyptian  Queen  therein,  would  create  a  greater 
sensation. 

Fancy  a  pair  of  enormous  wheels,  not  less  than  six 
feet  in  diameter,  with  an  axle  of  corresponding  size,  to 
which  is  fastened  a  pair  of  long,  curved  shafts ; — add  to 
these  a  phaeton-shaped   body,  whereof  top   and  dash- 


28  MY   WINTER   AV  CUBA. 

board  nearly  meet,  hung  entirely  forward  of  the  wheels 
and  between  the  shafts,  by  leathern  straps  dei:>endmg 
from  tlie  axle  behind  and  a  cross-bar  in  front ; — harness 
a  single  horse  into  these  shafts,  not  less  than  three  or 
^ur  feet  from  the  dashboard,  and  using  as  much  leather 
and  plate  as  possible  in  the  process ; — put  a  heavy  saddle 
on  his  back,  to  enable  him  to  sujjport  the  cumbrous 
structure,  whicli  the  much  burdened  animal  is  also  ex- 
jjected  to  draw; — fasten  another  horse  to  the  whiffle- 
tree,  at  the  left  side,  by  a  pair  of  traces  long  enough  to 
allow  him  to  keep  about  half  his  length  in  advance  of 
the  other; — on  tliis  latter  mount  a  negro  "  calesero," 
with  richly-laced  and  bright-colored  jacket,  broad  laced 
*'  sombrero,"  enormous  jack-boots  reaching  nearly  to  the 
hips,  large  silver-plated  spurs,  and  heavy  leathern  whip, 
whose  duty  it  is  to  lead  the  working  horse  by  a  short 
rein,  shout  at  him  vociferously,  crack  his  whip  at  him 
with  a  report  like  a  small  pistol,  and  thrash  him  unmer- 
cifully whenever  he  slackens  his  trot ; — imagine  postil- 
ion, horse,  harness,  and  vehicle  to  be  glistening  with 
gold  lace  or  silver  plate,  and  between  shouting,  jingling, 
creaking,  and  rattling,  making  more  noise  than  a  half- 
-dozen of  our  carriages; — and  then  jou  may  have  some 
faint  conception  of  a  Cuban  volante !  But  the  thing 
must  be  seen  to  be  duly  appreciated.  It  is  an  unique 
article  of  its  kind,  striking  the  unaccustomed  gaze  even 
more  oddly  than  a  French  diligence  or  an  Irish  jaunting- 
car,  yet  possessing  a  certain  barbaric  splendor,  and  a 
graceful,  easy,  swinging  motion,  to  which  those  vehicles 
have  no  claim. 


AT  TUE  RE  TRET  A.  29 

I  have  omitted  one  small,  but  ludicrous  detail.  The 
long  tails  of  both  horses  are  tightly  braided,  and  tied  to 
the  harness  or  the  saddle  with  bright-colored  cords  or 
ribbons,  in  such  wise  as  to  jirevent  any  movement  of 
those  useful  members.  I  am  at  a  loss  for  the  reason, 
since  the  arrangement  gives  an  absurdly  rat-like  look  to 
the  small  native  pony ;  and  in  a  climate  where  gnats  and 
mosquitos  do  so  abound,  it  seems  a  positive  cruelty. 

Ordinarily,  neither  volante  nor  quitrin  has  more  than 
one  seat  and  two  occupants ;  but  a  third  seat,  called  la 
niua  honita  (the  pretty  child),  is  sometimes  attached  to 
the  other,  whereon,  slightly  in  advance,  sits  the  youngest 
of  a  dazzling  party  of  three.  Thus  enthroned,  and 
with  the  top  of  the  volante  flung  back,  the  fair  Cuhanas 
sit  out  the  retreta^  flirting  their  fans,  and  acknowledging 
the  bows  and  salutations  of  passing  acquaintances ;  but 
never,  for  one  moment  touching  their  dainty  satin  slip- 
pers to  the  pavement,  or  seeming  to  care  to  do  so.  But 
we,  being  forasteros^  privileged  to  "  do  in  Rome  as  the 
Romans  do  ?io#,"  alighted  from  our  carriage,  made  our 
way  through  the  masculine  crowd  in  the  square,  hired 
chairs  from  an  enormous  pile,  fearfully  and  wonderfully 
reared  on  a  negro's  back,  and  established  ourselves  at 
the  foot  of  the  statue  of  "  Isabel  la  Gatolica^''  in  a  posi- 
tion favorable  for  the  hearing  of  the  music.  Here,  I 
contrived  to  squeeze  myself  into  a  space  between  the 
base  of  the  statue  and  the  nearest  bench,  leaving  Miss 
R.  to  take  the  brunt  of  the  staring  consequent  upon  our 
unusual  procedure;  where  I  was  able  to  listen  undis- 
turbed to  the  concord  of  sweet  sounds,  study  the  statue 


30  3/r  WIXTER  IN  CUBA, 

above  and  tlie  faces  around  by  the  soft  transfiguring 
moonlight,  inliale  rich  -svafts  of  fragrance  from  neighbor- 
ing orange  and  lemon  trees,  and  try  to  realize  that  only 
five  days  ago  I  looked  upon  a  scene  where  Winter 
reigned  supreme.  Harder  still  was  it  to  realize  the 
transition  from^the  four  walls  of  an  invalid's  chamber, 
where  existence  dragged  wearily  between  couch  and 
easy-chair,  and  no  moment  was  free  from  pain,  to  this 
brilliant  out-door  scene,  with  nothing  between  me  and 
the  stars,  and,  save  some  slight  remnant  of  Aveakness, 
the  serenest  sense  of  physical  Avell-being.     Life  had 

"  Suffered  a  sea-cliange 
Into  sometliing  rich  and  strange." 

The  music  consisted  chiefly  of  selections  from  favorite 
ojDcras,  and  was  exquisitely  rendered.  It  ended  with  a 
"  Quickstep,"  to  the  lively  measure  of  which  the  band 
marched  off,  followed  by  the  crowd ;  such  part  of  it  as 
did  not  resort  forthwith  to  the  "  Cafe  Dominica,"  to 
enjoy  ices,  or  cooling  drinks  known  as  refrescos.  Thither 
w^ent  we, — not  to  enter,  however,  though  foreign  ladies 
may  do  it  when  accomj^anied  by  gentlemen,  and  pre- 
pared to  endure  any  amount  of  eyeshot.  But  the  moon- 
light was  far  too  lovely  to  leave  outside  ;  so  we  summone'd 
a  waiter,  and  were  served,  Cuban  fashion,  in  our  carriage. 
The  ices,  flavored  with  a  fruit  called  guanahana^  were 
delicious ;  and  we  ate  them  by  the  help  of  certain  deli- 
cate tubes  of  sweet  paste,  known  as  harqidllos^  experi- 
encing the  novel  sensation  of  devouring  our  spoons  and 
our  ices  simultaneously,  and  leaving  not  a  vestige  of 
either  behind ! 


AT  THE  RETRETA.  31 

So  we  chatted  and  ate,  under  the  magical  radiance 
of  the  tropical  moon,  with  a  soft,  india-ink  view  of  the 
plaza  in  the  distance,  and  in  our  ears  the  ever  fainter 
and  fainter  harmonies  of  the  receding  band.  And  thus 
ended  my  first  day  in  Cuba — a  day  crowded  with  new 
scenes  and  sensations,  a  day  whereof  the  greenness  and 
goldenness,  the  novelty  and  quaintness,  the  grace  and 
the  grotesqueness, Avill  be  a  joy  forever! 

But  after  the  day,  the  night  cometh  !  And  of  my 
first  night  in  Cuba,  the  chronicle  runneth  briefly  thus: — 

On  returning  from  the  retreta^  I  summoned  the 
chambermaid,  or  man  (for  the  post  was  filled  by  a 
handsome  Cuban  youth  of  eighteen  or  twenty),  and 
asked  for  a  mattress, — having  been  informed  that  the 
article  was  sometimes  supplied  to  foreign  demand. 
Whereupon,  he  presently  brought  in  a  dingy  affair,  not 
more  than  two  feet  wide  and  two  inches  thick,  which  he 
threw  upon  the  middle  of  the  bedstead  and  proceeded 
to  unroll  with  a  grand,  this-is-precisely-what-you-want 
air, — when,  lo  !  a  sudden  glancing  and  scampering  of 
innumerable  cockroaches ! 

'''' Caramha!^''  said  he,  with  a  decided  change  of 
countenance. 

'"''Que  Jiueste  invencihle ! ''''  exclaimed  I,  beating  a 
quick  retreat. 

The  dark  legions  vanished  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye,  however,  as  is  their  amiable  habit  when  suddenly 
brought  to  light,  and  my  niozo^s  discomfiture  went  with 
them.  Pouring  out  a  voluble  and  confident  assurance 
that  they  had  all  retreated  to  the  crevices  of  the  walls 


32  3fr  WINTER  IN  CUBA, 

and  would  appear  no  more,  he  quickly  made  the  bed, 
bade  me  a  courteous  "  Buoias  noches^^  and  withdrew. 

I  cannot  speak  enthusiastically  of  my  night's  rest 
upon  that  mattress.  It  was  as  hard  as  the  Irishman's 
three  feathers,  it  had  an  odor  strongly  suggestive  of 
stables,  and  the  fleas  did  not  decamp  with  the  cock- 
roaches ! 

Besides,  there  were  the  serenos — not  a  species  of 
vermin,  but  a  peculiarly  Cuban  species  of  watchmen. 
Seeing  one  for  the  first  time,  you  think  he  has  walked 
out  of  the  Middle  Ages  to  meet  you.  He  is  habited  in 
a  queer,  gown-like  coat ;  he  has  a  clumsy  pistol  stuck  in 
his  belt ;  and  he  carries  a  long  pike,  a  whistle,  a  lantern, 
and  a  rope.  It  is  his  business  to  cry  the  time  and  the 
state  of  the  weather  every  half-hour  during  the  night ; 
prefacing  the  cry  with  a  vigorous  knocking  of  his  pike- 
staff on  the  pavement.  As  the  nights  are  almost  inva- 
riably clear  and  fine,  his  usual  cry  is  "sere?io,"  from 
whence  he  derives  his  name.  To  the  eye,  he  is  a  sufii- 
ciently  picturesque  institution ;  to  the  ear,  an  execrable 
one.  Not  more  effectually  did  Macbeth  "  murder  sleep  " 
than  he  does,  until  one  becomes  accustoiiied  to  his  noc- 
turnal din. 


CHAPTER  V. 

TUE   PALACE   AND   PLAZA. 

rriEN  o'clock  is  the  breakfast-hour  for  all  Cuba,  at  least, 
for  tliat  portion  of  it  which  does  not  belong  to  the 
"  hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  water ; "  and  at  that 
hour  I  Avas  again  enjoying  Mrs.  R.'s  cordial  hospitality, 
and  drinking  the  very  best  cup  of  coffee  that  ever  I 
tasted.  Whoever  desires  to  enjoy  that  beverage  in 
perfection,  may  be  very  sure  of  doing  so  in  Cuba,  if 
he  puts  himself  under  wise  guidance.  But  the  tea  is 
only  fit  to  fling  after  the  German  diplomatist's  salad, 
"  out  of  a  very  wide  open  window  !  "  It  is  a  comfort  to 
be  assured  that  no  one  drinks  it  "  unless  he  is  sick." 

The  day  was  devoted  to  sight-seeing.  First,  we  took 
a  look  at  the  Palace  of  the  Captain  General,  which  I  re- 
garded with  some  interest,  knowing  it  to  be  the  centre 
of  a  system  of  military  despotism;  which,  although 
somewhat  lighter  than  formerly,  has  still  certain  feat- 
ures calculated  to  rouse  the  indignation,  or  secure  the 
contempt,  of  any  free-born  American.  For  was  not 
I — 7",  the  most  harmless  and  insignificant  little  woman 
in  the  world! — obliged  to  procure  a  certain  six-by- 
eight,  dingy,  ill-printed  paper,  called  a  "  permit,"  before  I 
was  allowed  to  stir  in  Cuba  \  which  seemed  far  less  worth 
2* 


34  3IY   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

the  eight  dollars  paid  for  it,  tlian  the  wildest  auction 
purchase,  or  "  damaged-goods  "  bargain,  in  which  I  ever 
indulged  !  The  face  of  this  2>recious  document  declares 
to  all  whom  it  may  concern  that, — 

"THE  GOVERNOR  OF  THIS  JURISDICTION 
Grants  a  ticket  of  disembarkation  in  favor  of  Dona  W.  M.  L. 
Jay,  a  native  of  tlie  United  States,  of  no  profession ;  who  arrived 
at  Havana  in  the  Steamer  Eagle,"  etc.  etc. 

On  the  left,  in  a  square,  are  the  "  particular  signs," 
by  which  the  said  "DoSa"  may  be  identified;  the 
blanks  calling  for  a  description  of  height,  age,  com- 
plexion, hair,  eyebrows,  forehead,  eyes,  nose,  mouth, 
and  beard  (/)  ;  but  as  only  the  items  of  age  and  height 
are  filled  out,  the  permit  might  serve  as  well  for  half 
the  foreign  females  in  the  Island ;  showing  conclusively 
that  its  true  object  is  a  species  of  legalized  plunder. 
Then  follow  the  signature  of  the  Chief  of  Police,  with  a 
facsimile  of  that  of  the  Governor,  and  the  seals  proper 
to  each.     Underneath  are  the  folio  win  or  "  notices  "  : 

.  o 

"  The  present  document  shall  be  null  and  void  whenever  it 
loses  the  seal  or  crest  of  the  Government  here  affixed. 

"  Foreigners  should  notice  particularly  the  third  paragraph  of 
the  regulations  to  be  found  on  the  back." 

Turning  to  the  back,  therefore,  we  find  a  number  of 
petty  rules,  printed  in  French,  Spanish,  and  English, 
some  few  of  which  I  copy  from  the  English  column, 
verbatim^  et  literatim,  et  punctuatim. 


THE  PALACE  AND  PLAZA.  35 


"WARNING. 


"  Tliis  permit  must  be  presented  to  obtain  tlie  baggages,  wliicli 
can  be  landed  every  day,  Sundays  &  holidays  included,  from  suh- 
sete  till  sunrise  provided  tlie  consignee  of  the  vessel  has  obtained 
the  necessary  permit  from  the  collector. 

"This  permit  must  likewise  be  presented  to  owners  of  the 
house  or  establishment  where  the  passenger  goes  to  stop,  so  that 
he  may  give  the  necessary  advice  to  the  police, 

"  This  permit  will  enable  newly  arrived  foreigners  to  transit 
in  all  directions  during  one  month  from  its  date.  It  will  also 
enable  to  fixe  residency  in  every  place  in  the  Island :  according 
to  it,  its  presentation  is  always  necessary  before  the  Capitan  de 
imrtido,  Comisario  6  Celador  respective.  After  that  period  a  pase 
de  trdnsito  is  required  to  travel  over  the  Island. 

"  The  want  of  the  compliance  to  these  regulations  implicates  a 
fine  of  ten  dollars. 

"  No  passenger  will  be  allowed  to  enter  the  city  without  sub- 
jecting to  these  requisites,  and  will  be  obliged  to  justify  its  fulfil- 
ment, by  presenting  the  permit  and  the  mark  or  sign  which  the 
Custom  house  agents  put  to  the  respective  packages  after  in- 
spection. 

"  No  foreigner  is  allowed  to  reside  more  than  three  months  in 
the  Island  without  procuring  a  carta  de  domicilio,  which  he  will 
obtain  by  a  petition  backed  by  the  Consul  of  his  nation." 

Even  long  residents  of  Cuba,  born  in  Old  Spain,  are 
not  exempted  from  these  restrictions.  Each  year  they 
are  obliged  to  procure  the  aforementioned  '^  carta  de 
domicilio^''  which  they  are  liable  to  be  called  upon  to 
show  at  any  railway,  or  police-station,  or  even  at  tlicir 
houses;  and  any  infraction  of  the  rule  is  punishable 
with  a  fine. 

With  this  document  in  my  pocket,  in  token  of  the 


36  MY   WINTER  IN  CUBA, 

extreme  solicitude  which  the  Spanish  Government  feels 
for  its  guests,  I  examined  the  Vice  Royal  Palace  on  a 
certain  footing  of  equality,  conscious  of  having  duly  paid 
eight  dollars  for  its  support,  and  bought  the  privilege  of 
saying  and  thinking  what  I  pleased  about  it.  I  soon  de- 
cided that  it  had  but  a  moderate  claim  to  architectural 
grandeur  or  beauty.  It  fronts  on  the  "  Plaza  de  Armas," 
is  built  of  a  yellowish-colored  stone,  in  the  form  of  a 
hollow  square,  and  is  two  stories  in  height,  of  which 
the  upper  one  only  is  the  residence  of  the  Captain  Gen- 
eral. This  projects  far  over  the  lower  one,  and  is  sup- 
ported by  a  row  of  stone  pillars,  making  a  pleasant 
colonnade  along  the  front.  The  ground  floor  is  devoted 
to  various  public  offices.  An  arched  way  leads  into  a 
patiOy  or  court,  upon  which  open  the  interior  windows. 
On  either  side  of  the  principal  entrance  is  a  guard- 
room; and  across  the  colonnade,  from  door-posts  to 
pillars,  two  sentinels  are  marching  stolidly  all  day,  and 
doubtless,  all  night.  At  least,  I  see  no  reason  why  they 
should  not  keep  up  the  same  monotonous,  indolent  per- 
formance throughout  the  night,  and  sleep  like  dormouses 
at  the  same  time. 

The  "  Plaza  de  Armas  "  is  very  handsomely  laid  out 
with  walks,  and  ornamented  with  shrubbery,  a  few  palm 
and  cocoa  trees,  and  a  statue  of  one  of  the  numerous 
Ferdinands, — whose  images  adorn,  or  disfigure  (accord- 
ing to  taste),  nearly  every  ^9^asa  and^^aseo  in  the  Island. 
The  enclosure  is  surrounded  by  a  thick  row  of  extremely 
old  and  luxuriant  laureles  de  India^  a  species  of  banyan 
tree ;  whose  dark,  glossy  foliage  is  so  close  as  to  seem 


THE  PALACE  AND  PLAZA.  37 

almost  solid,  and  furnishes  the  densest  shade  to  be 
found  in  all  Cuba.  It  affords  shelter  to  numerous 
bright-plumaged  birds,  whose  name  I  forget,  but  the 
story  of  whose  introduction  into  the  Island  found  a 
firmer  lodgment  in  my  memory.  They  w^ere  brought 
hither  by  a  sailor  from  Spain,  in  the  days  when  Havana 
was  a  walled  city,  at  whose  gates  all  comers  were 
stopped,  and  cross-questioned,  and  when  custom-house 
regulations  were  even  more  strict  than  now.  The  old, 
weather-beaten  "  salt "  was  desired  to  pay  an  exorbitant 
duty  on  his  pets.  After  some  altercation,  irate  and 
rebellious,  he  opened  the  cage-door,  saying,  "  Tliey  shall 
enter,  and  they  shall  not  pay  duty."  The  birds  immedi- 
ately flew  over  the  walls  to  the  nearest  trees,  where 
they  settled,  made  themselves  at  home,  increased  and 
multiplied,  and  have  sent  out  colonies  into  all  parts  of 
the  Island.  And  still  the  traveller  sees  their  briglit 
wings  glancing  in  and  out  amid  the  thick  boughs  of  the 
old  laurels,  while  he  listens  to  this  story  of  their  natural- 
ization, told  by  some  grave,  courteous  Don ;  and  takes 
their  cheery  warblings  for  a  confirmation  of  the  tale, 
or  a  sarcastic  comment  thereon,  according  to  tempera- 
ment. 

These  ancient  laurel-trees  are  the  pride  of  the  "  Ilab- 
anero,"  but  no  tree  will  so  charm  a  stranger's  gaze,  or 
win  such  a  place  in  his  affections,  as  the  palma  real,  or 
royal  palm.  The  straight,  smooth,  slender  trunk  shoots 
up  some  fifty  feet,  or  more,  into  the  air,  with  the  perfect 
finish  and  lofty  aspiration  of  a  Corinthian  column ;  and 
then  crowns  itself  with  a  spreading  cluster  of  graceful, 


38  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA, 

plumy  leaves,  whose  deep,  vivid  green  shines  like  satin 
in  the  sunlight.  These  look  so  delicate  and  feathery  at 
their  dizzy  height  that  I  marvelled,  when  I  had  oppor- 
tunity to  examine  one  fallen  to  the  ground,  to  find  it  ten 
or  twelve  feet  in  length,  with  a  stem  much  thicker  than 
my  arm ;  while  those  apparently  tender,  tapering  rays 
of  green,  of  which  it  is  composed,  seemed  like  sword- 
blades  in  my  hand.  This  discovery  increased  my  respect 
without  lessening  my  admiration.  Indeed,  whether  seen 
in  stately  colonnades  and  long  avenues,  or  standing 
singly  or  in  groups  on  the  plain,  the  palm-tree  grows 
constantly  in  my  esteem,  and  I  am  ready  to  render  it 
my  deepest  homage  as  the  King  of  trees.  And  what 
Vealth  of  association  gathers  around  its  name  !  What 
troops  of  images,  sacred,  historic,  poetical,  throng  on 
the  mind  with  every  bend  of  its  kingly  crest,  with  every 
whisper  of  its  rustling  plumes !  Soft,  faint  echoes  of  gray, 
quaint  fable  and  purple  Eastern  poesy, — visions  of  wide 
reaches  of  sandy  desert — slow,  winding  marches  of 
stately  caravans — bright  oases  by  crystal  fountains — 
mazy  dances  of  flushed  Almes — mystic  rites  of  wild 
dervishes — grand,  silent  ruins  and  dethroned  statues — 
holy  labors  and  sorrows  of  apostle  and  martyr — the 
calm,  sad,  benignant  face  of  the  Son  of  Man  going 
about  Jerusalem  or  to  and  fro  across  the  hills  of  Gali- 
lee,— these,  all,  drenched  my  soul,  and  left  me  breath- 
less and  awe-struck  before  the  majestic  marvel!  Like 
Dana,  "  I  was  glad  that  they  had  strewn  palm-leaves  in 
the  path  of  the  Saviour, — I  was  glad  that  the  saints  in 
Heaven  carry  palm-leaves  in  their  hands ! " 


CHAPTER  YI. 

WITHIN   AND   WITHOUT   THE   WALLS. 


(^  OING  up  Obispo  street  from  the  Plaza  de  Armas, 
^^  we  were  confronted  with  one  of  Havana's  most 
noticeable  and  interesting  features— the  remaining  por- 
tion of  the  old  city  wall,  with  the  gateways  and  bastions 
thereto  pertaining.  This  ancient  barrier  overtops  the 
nearest  houses,  and  is  solidly  built  of  hewn  stone, 
about  twenty  feet  thick  at  bottom,  with  a  smooth  per- 
pendicular face,  but  with  two  or  three  terrace-like 
projections  on  the  inner  side,  whereon  troops  were 
originally  stationed  for  its  defence.  Outside  there  is,  or 
was,  a  moat,  now  dry,  and  filled  as  full  of  weeds  and 
creepers  as  it  formerly  was  of  water. 

It  is  a  novel  experience  to  find  these  grim,  hoary 
relics  of  bygone  days  and  modes  of  life  bursting  up 
through  the  quiet,  prosaic  flow  of  our  modern  existence  ; 
and  a  single  sight  of  them  gives  vastly  greater  vivid- 
ness to  our  mental  pictures  of  that  ancient  time,  than  is 
attainable  by  the  closest  study  of  books  and  pictures. 
The  man  who  might  read  Cervantes  or  look  on  the 
masterpieces  of  Velasquez  without  once  feeling  his 
fancy  stirred,  or  his  imagination  quickened,  would  find 
these   gray  towers    bristling    even  more   with   quaint 


40  MY   WINTER  IN  CUBA, 

suggestions  than  ever  they  did  with  guns ;  and  as  many 
flowers  of  fancy  and  creeping,  ramifying  lines  of 
thought,  would  start  forth  from  the  time-worn,  weather- 
stained  surface  of  the  old  wall,  as  there  are  blooming 
plants  rooted  in  its  corners  and  projections,  and  vines 
climbing  and  tangling  along  its  sides.  However,  this 
curious  relic  is  even  now  in  process  of  removal,  as  an 
useless  cumberer  of  the  ground ;  the  town  having  long 
ago  overleaped  it  and  spread  itself  over  the  adjacent 
country  to  an  extent  exceeding  its  former  area.  But  it 
will  be  years  ere  the  venerable  landmark  disappears 
from  the  city  vocabulary ;  the  terms  estramuros  and 
entremuros  being  still  in  constant  use,  even  where  no 
•^^estige  of  the  wall  remains,  to  denote  that  boundary 
line  between  the  historic  and  the  modern  city  which  it 
once  defined  so  clearly.  And  it  seems  a  pity  to  demol- 
ish it  altogether.  One  of  the  gateways,  at  least,  should 
be  spared,  to  help  us  to  realize  an  age  and  a  manner  of 
life  otherwise  very  dim  and  unreal  to  our  modern  vision. 
Looking  up  at  this  gray  wall,  or  standing  under  the 
gateway's  frowning  arch,  one  sighs  to  see  how  notably 
the  picturesque  has  dropped  out  of  the  onward  march 
of  invention.  Utility  leads  the  way,  comfort  and  con- 
venience swell  the  ranks,  and  the  spirit  of  beauty  is 
not  altogether  absent ;  but  the  sweet,  coy,  vagrant 
charm  of  the  picturesque  seems  left  behind.  Let  him 
who  thinks  otherwise,  confront  a  modern  cooking-stove 
with  an  ancient  fire-place,  or  a  silver  ice-pitcher  with  the 
earthen  water-jars  in  my  Cuban  bed-chamber,  or  set 
down  his  newly-built  villa  ("  with  all  the  modern  conven- 


WITHIN  AND    WITHOUT  THE   WALLS.  41 

iences")  by  the  side  of  this  time-incrusted  gateway, 
and  see  which  has  the  best  of  it  artistically — of  which 
he  would  choose  to  make  a  picture  for  his  parlor  wall. 

Our  next  visit — for  we  were  "  doing  "  Havana  thor- 
oughly, though  not  systematically — was  to  "  La  Hon- 
radez,"  otherwise  "Honesty,"  otherwise  an  immense 
cigarette  manufactory.  This  institution  is  in  such 
favor  with  foreigners  that  one  day  in  each  week  is  set 
apart  for  their  reception  and  entertainment ;  when  the 
whole  establishment  puts  on  a  gala-day  air,  and  gentle- 
manly ushers,  speaking  English,  French,  and  German, 
are  in  waiting  to  attend  upon  its  guests.  Having  en- 
tered our  names  in  the  register  (which  would  turn  an 
autograph  collector  yellow  with  envy),  we  proceeded  to 
the  inspection  of  the  building.  It  consists  of  several 
departments,  with  telegraphic  connections,  that  no  time 
may  be  wasted  in  running  to  and  fro.  Chief  among 
them  are  the  offices  and  counting-rooms, — the  carpen- 
ter's shop,  for  the  construction  of  packing  boxes  and 
barrels, — the  machine  room,  with  cutting  and  pressing 
machines, — the  printing  office,  printing  daily  millions 
of  labels,  circulars,  fancy- wrappers,  etc., — the  designing, 
engraving,  and  lithographic  room, — and,  what  is  most 
interesting  of  all,  the  vast  room  w^here  the  Chinese 
workmen  twist  up  those  little  rolls  of  paper  and  scented 
tobacco  with  an  ease  and  celerity  that  seems  little  short 
of  miraculous;  producing  an  average  of  over  two 
millions  of  cigarettes  per  day.  The  courtesy  of  the 
attendants  is  a  most  pleasing  feature  to  a  visitor ;  every- 
thing is   shown  and  explained  with  the   most  minute. 


42  MY   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

unflagging  attention  and  politeness ;  and  if  a  lady  guest 
expresses  any  admiration  for  the  pretty  boxes  or  fancy 
pictures  scattered  about,  she  is  immediately  prayed  to 
accept  of  such  as  she  most  fancies.  Finally,  when  the 
hour  of  leave-taking  arrives,  each  visitor  is  presented 
with  a  package  of  cigarettes,  prettily  tied  with  gay 
ribbon,  and  with  his  or  her  name  printed  in  full  on  the 
ornamental  wrapper,  having  been  copied  from  the  regis- 
ter during  the  inspection  of  the  premises.  One  of  our 
party,  who  has  an  utter  detestation  of  tobacco  in  all 
shapes  and  modes  of  use,  and  was  with  difficulty  induced 
to  enter  the  building,  accepted  hers  with  a  some- 
what embarrassed  grace ;  while  her  companions  shook 
with  ill-suppressed  merriment  at  the  incongruity  be- 
tween the  donation  and  the  tastes  of  the  donee.  Never- 
theless, she  heartily  endorsed  the  general  opinion  that 
the  generosity  and  courtesy  of  the  proprietors  of  "  La 
Honradez  "  deserve  honorable  mention,  and  might  fitly 
be  imitated  by  manufacturers  of  wares  that  have  a 
better  title  to  the  interest  of  the  public. 

We  now  left  the  narrow  streets  of  the  old  city 
behind,  and  drove  through  the  "  Gates  of  Monserrate," 
the  "  Prado,"  and  the  "  Paseo  Tacon,"  to  the  gardens  of 
the  Captain-General, — a  large  extent  of  ornamental 
grounds,  surrounding  a  pretty,  villa-like  residence 
known  as  "  Los  Molinos ; "  where  that  dignitary  seeks 
repose  from  the  cares  of  state,  and  where  his  family 
resides  for  the  greater  j^art  of  the  time,  reserving  the 
sombre  Palace  for  state  occasions.  The  gardens  are 
very  handsomely  laid  out  with  walks,  avenues,  thickets, 


WITHIN  AXD    WITHOUT  THE    WALLS,  43 

flowcl'-beds,  and  arbors,  and  contain  a  fine  collection 
of  foreign  and  native  plants.  There  was  a  dazzling 
profusion  of  gorgeous,  tropical  flowers, — cacti  of  every 
hue  of  blossom  and  every  sort  of  prickly  development — 
tall,  shapely  oleanders — shivering  mimosas — coral  flow- 
ered pomegranates — jessamines  that  seemed  to  have 
laughed  themselves  into  their  exuberance  of  sunny 
blossom — water-lilies  that  it  took  away  one's  breath  to 
look  at — aloes,  whose  stately  candelabra  of  gorgeous 
blooms  were  worthy  of  a  place  on  Nature's  highest  altar 
— and  vines  whose  prodigality  of  leaf  and  flower  gave 
one  an  almost  painful  sense  of  beauty  running  to  waste. 
Beside  these,  there  was  a  lovely  wilderness  of  blossoms, 
unknown  to  me  by  name. 

Among  the  trees  I  noticed  several  fine  specimens  of 
the  date  palm,  apparently  perfectly  at  home ;  and  I  see 
no  reason  why  that  species  should  not  flourish  anywhere 
in  the  Island,  if  the  people  had  enterprise  enough  to 
introduce  it.  But  never  was  there  a  race  more  wedded 
to  the  policy  of  "letting  well-enough  alone."  I  sug- 
gested the  idea  to  Juan,  to  see  what  he  would  make 
of  it. 

"  What  need?"  said  he,  with  the  ever  ready  shrug; 
"  we  have  fruits  for  every  month  in  the  year,  and  vege- 
tables all  the  year  round.  Why  desire  more  ?  " 
'  This  garden  owns  one  of  the  finest  avenues  of  the 
royal  palm  to  be  seen  in  all  Cuba.  Its  grand  per- 
spective seems  like  that  of  a  vast  and  lofty  temple. 
The  smooth,  straight  trunks  of  the  trees  are  the  most 
stately  and  shapely  of  columns ;   and  the  intertwining 


44  3fr  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

leaves  of  green,  shimmering  and  gleaming  in  the  sun- 
shine, form  the  loveliest  of  traceries  and  illuminated 
roofs.  Looking  through  it,  I  seemed  to  discover  whence 
came  the  inspiration  of  Grecian  architecture,  as  he  who 
wanders  through  long  aisles  of  arching  elms  may  be- 
lieve that  he  sees  whence  sprang  the  graceful  outlines 
of  the  Gothic  temple.  And  as  the  latter  clearly 
breathes  of  aspiration, — embodying  its  yearnings,  its 
struggles,  and  even  its  vagaries, — so  the  former  is  full 
of  the  rej^ose  of  attainment,  and  symbolizes  the  com- 
pleteness, the  simplicity,  and  the  majesty  of  law. 

There  is  a  little  canal  running  through  the  grounds, 
for  purposes  of  irrigation,  as  well  as  to  lend  a  bright 
sparkle  of  water  to  their  attractions,  and  as  I  was  rest- 
ing on  the  bank  two  bright  boys  of  the  Captain-Gene- 
ral's came  out,  and  embarked  in  a  gayly-painted  boat 
anchored  near;  and  while  the  younger  was  wholly 
intent  on  raising  a  small  Spanish  flag  in  the  stern,  the 
elder  deferentially  dofied  his  hat  to  my  foreign  face  as 
they  floated  past  me.  What  a  charm  there  is  in  ease 
and  grace  of  manner !  I  believe  that  my  countrymen 
are,  in  the  main,  more  intelligent  and  large-hearted  and 
sincere,  than  these  courtly  foreigners;  but  I  do  wish 
that  some  of  the  fair  flowers  of  courtesy,  w^hich  spring  so 
naturally  from  a  Spaniard,  might  be  ingrafted  on  the 
sturdy  stock  of  their  solid  virtues  ! 

Having  been  forced  to  observe  how  far  the  tropics 
surpass  us  in  luxuriant  foliage  and  brilliant  flowers, 
my  national  pride  Avas  soothed  to  notice  that  Cuba  can 
produce  nothing  like  the  vivid  green  of  our  velvet  turf. 


WITHIN  AND    WITHOUT  THE    WALLS.  45 

There  is  an  attempt  at  it  in  the  Captain-General's  gar- 
den, but  the  grass  is  thin  and  sickly ;  evidently  it  is  an 
exile,  thrusting  no  willing  root  into  the  soil,  and  having 
left  all  heart  and  energy  behind.  I  felt  drawn  toward 
it  by  a  certain  dreary  sympathy,  and  I  pressed  a  forlorn 
sprig  thereof  in  my  note-book,  beside  a  dainty  spray  of 
a  lovely,  wandering  vine  and  a  flower  whose  ruby 
coronal  might  have  been  cut  from  the  very  heart  of  the 
sunset  that  was  glorifying  the  western  sky  as  we  left 
the  grounds.  All  honor  to  the  Captain-General  for 
throwing  them  so  generously  open  to  the  public.  There 
is  a  sentinel  at  the  gate,  to  be  sure,  and  two  others  are 
pacing  before  the  house ;  but  neither  interferes  with  any 
quietly-behaved  visitor,  and  the  walks,  the  avenues,  the 
flowers,  and  the  arbors,  are  free  to  all  who  come. 

We  finished  the  day  on  the  paseo^  a  mixture  of  street 
and  pleasure-ground,  whose  use  is  peculiarly  a  Cuban 
institution.  Society,  as  we  understand  it,  does  not  seem 
to  exist  here.  La  retreta  takes  the  place  of  our  even- 
ing visits,  and  the  ^:>(^eo  serves  for  our  morning  calls. 
Beside  these,  there  are  calls  of  ceremony,  set  balls,  "  il 
teatro^''  an  occasional  dinner,  and — nothing  more  ! — or 
if  there  is,  I  have  failed,  as  yet,  to  discover  it. 

The  Paseo  de  Ysabel  Segunda  crosses  the  city  in  a 
straight  line  from  bay  to  ocean,  just  outside  the  walls. 
It  is  between  three  or  four  hundred  feet  wide,  and 
about  a  mile  long ;  diflerent  parts  of  it  being  known  by 
difierent  names,  as  the  "  Prado,"  the  "  Parque  de  Isabel," 
etc.  It  is  ornamented  with  fine  trees,  shrubbery,  flowers, 
(jlorietas^  statues,  and  fountains, — the  finest  of  the  latter 


46  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

being  of  Carrara  marble,  the  gift  of  a  patriotic  citizen, 
and  known  as  Lafuente  de  la  India.  Furthermore,  it  has 
two  broad  drives  for  carriages,  between  which  there  are 
seats  for  loiterers  and  walks  for  promenaders  ;  and  along 
its  course  are  some  of  the  finest  public  and  private  build- 
ings of  the  city.  But  the  favorite  drive  and  promenade 
is  the  "  Paseo  de  Tacon," — a  noble  double  avenue,  lined 
with  trees  and  villas,  and  beautified  with  fountains  and 
statuary,  leading  from  the  Prado  to  El  Cerro, — a  small 
hill-village  three  miles  from  Havana,  commanding  a 
magnificent  view  of  city,  suburbs,  and  ocean.  This 
paseo  is  named  in  honor  of  a  former  Captain-General,  to 
whom,  though  he  seems  to  have  been  an  unmitigated 
despot  (or  perhaps  for  that  very  reason),  Havana  owes 
more  improvements  than  to  any  of  his  predecessors. 

Up  and  down  this  j^ciseo  go  long  lines  of  volantcs  and 
carriages,  in  which  one  sees  all  the  beauty  and  fashion 
of  the  city,  all  its  civil  and  military  dignitaries,  all  its 
visitors,  and  as  large  a  delegation  of  its  jDlebeians  as  are 
fortunate  enough  to  own  or  can  hire  a  shabby  volante 
for  the  purpose.  Now  and  then  a  mounted  guardsman, 
in  a  pretty  and  seasonable  uniform  of  striped  linen,  with 
collar  and  cuffs  of  scarlet  or  green  cloth,  and  sword 
and  pistols  flashing  in  the  sunlight,  rides  by,  to  show 
that  the  government  takes  as  kindly  an  oversight  of  the 
pleasures  of  its  children,  as  it  does  of  their  business  and 
journey  ings. 

Up  and  down,  up  and  down,  in  long  flashing  lines, 
go  the  jingling  volantcs,  with  a  pair,  or  it  may  be  a 
triad,  of  gayly-dressed  ladies  in  each ;  and  gentlemen 


WITHIN  AND    WITHOUT  THE    WALLS.  47 

crowd  the  footpaths,  and  stare  and  smile  and  bow,  with 
a  cigar  in  each  mustachioed  mouth,  to  sustain  them 
under  the  exertion.  It  is  rare  to  see  a  gentleman  occu- 
pying the  seat  with  a  lady.  Occasionally  an  unmis- 
takable paterfamilias^  with  wife  and  children,  exhibits 
himself  thus ;  but  in  general,  the  masculine  sex  takes  a 
volante  to  itself,  or  lounges  on  the  sidewalks.  The 
ladies,  according  to  their  wont,  are  bareheaded  and 
decolletees^  with  tlieir  long,  showy  skirts  hanging  out  of 
their  volantes  ;  and  one  look  at  the  combinations  of 
colors  in  their  toilets  would  go  far  to  make  a  French 
modiste  a  candidate  for  the  mad-house.  Yellow  and 
scarlet,  blue  and  purple,  green  and  orange,  seemed  to 
be  favorite  combinations;  and  though  the  dark  eyes 
and  complexions  of  the  Ciibanas  carry  off  these  astound- 
ing contrasts  with  a  far  better  grace  than  their  fairer 
sisters  of  the  North  could  do,  still'  they  give  them  a 
look  undeniably  "  dowdy  " — not  to  say  vulgar — to  eyes 
unaccustomed  to  such  gaudiness  of  attire.  Perhaps  this 
was  the  reason  why  so  very  few  of  them  seemed  any- 
wise pretty  to  me.  After  a  little,  I  came  unwillingly  to 
the  decision  that  my  cherished  ideal  of  Cuban  beauty 
could  never  stoop  to  incarnate  itself  in  any  of  those  fat, 
fussy,  overdressed  matrons,  nor  those  thin,  sallow,  life- 
less, and  likewise  overdressed  maidens.  In  all  that  vast 
crowd  of  the  el'M  of  Havana,  I  saw  only  two  or  three 
that  it  gave  me  any  pleasure  to  look  at ;  and  not  one 
that  I  should  ask  to  play  Juliet  to  my  Romeo,  from  a 
vine-wreathed  balcony  on  a  moonlit  night,  if  I  were  the 
gay  gallant  that  I  am  not.     It  must  be  admitted  that 


48  3ir   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

most  of  them  had  bright  black  eyes,  but  these  could  not 
redeem  an  otherwise  utterly  heavy,  characterless  physi- 
ognomy. 

The  carriage  of  the  Captain-General  passed  us  several 
times,  wherein  sat  that  official,  with  one  or  two  of  his 
staff,  all  smoking  and  staring  like  their  brethren  on  foot. 
lie  was  a  stout  man,  with  a  stolid  face,  and  an  ennuye 
air ;  and  I  could  not  help  a  sad  wonder,  as  I  encoun- 
tered his  dull  gaze,  if  those  two  bright,  rollicking  boys  of 
his  that  I  had  seen  just  before,  could  ever  grow  up  into 
so  many  pounds  of  heavy,  inert  flesh,  and  take  on  such 
a  burnt-out,  inanimate  cast  of  countenance.  I  hope  it 
was  not  wicked  to  think  it  were  better  for  them  to  go 
down  in  their  painted  skiff  to  the  bottom  of  the  tran- 
quil water,  and  leave  their  images  pure  beside  the 
water-lilies  on  its  banks ! 


CHAPTER  YII. 

COLUMBUS. — THE  CATnEDKAL. 

"VTEAE,  one  corner  of  the  Plaza  de  Armas  is  a  small 
Grecian  chaj^el,  standing,  tradition  affirms,  on  the 
spot  where  Mass  was  first  celebrated  in  Cuba,  under  the 
dii'ection  of  Columbus.  A  comparison  of  dates  and 
records  shows  the  statement  to  be  hypothetical,  as  far 
as  regards  the  presence  of  Columbus, — which  is  prob- 
ably a  bit  of  that  green,  mossy  growth  wherewith  Time 
loves  to  deck  the  hard,  gray  outlines  of  Fact, — but  there 
seems  to  be  no  reasonable  doubt  that  this  is  the  site  of 
the  performance  of  the  first  Mass.  The  interior  of  the 
chaj)el  IS  nowise  remarkable;  it  contains  a  bust  of 
Columbus  and  three  historical  paintings,  all  of  very 
moderate  merit ;  and  is  opened  to  the  public  but  once  a 
year,  on  the  feast  of  San  Cristobal,  which  is  made  an 
occasion  of  much  solemnity.  In  front  of  the  chapel  is  a 
courtyard,  with  a  handsome  iron  gateway  bearing  aloft 
the  royal  arms  of  Spain,  encircled  by  the  ever-recurring 
motto,  "  La  siempre  Jlelisima  isla  de  Cuba  "y  an^  about 
half-way  between  the  gate  and  chapel  stands  a  monu- 
mental column,  which  bears  on  one  side,  in  Spanish,  the 
following  inscription : — 


50  31  r   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

"  The  city  of  Havana  was  founded  in  1515,  and  when  it  was 
removed  from  its  first  site  to  the  shores  of  this  harbor,  in  1519, 
there  stood  on  this  spot  a  luxuriant  Ceiba  tree,  under  which,  it 
is  said,  was  celebrated  the  first  Mass,  and  the  first  Council.  It 
survived  until  1753,  when  it  became  sterile  ;  and  in  order  to  per- 
petuate its  memory,  our  Catholic  Sovereign,  Ferdinand  VII.,  then 
governing  Spain,  caused  this  monument  to  be  erected.  Field 
Marshal  Don  Francisco  Cajigal  de  la  Vega,  Knight  of  Santiago, 
being  Governor  and  Captain-General  of  this  Island,  and  Doctor 
Don  Manuel  Philip  de  Arango,  LL.D.,  being  Attorney-General. 
A.D.  1754." 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  above  mentioned  Ceiba 
tree  must  have  been  more  than  three  centuries  old  when 
it  "became  sterile;"  as  Cuba  was  discovered  in  1492, 
and  the  first  Mass  could  not  have  taken  place  many 
years  later.  Not  less  than  fifty  years  could  have  sufiiced 
to  make  it  the  "  luxuriant"  tree  it  is  stated  to  have  been, 
as  the  Ceiba  is  slow  of  growth,  though  it  attains  to  an 
enormous  size,  and  is  one  of  the  most  striking  trees  in 
Cuba.  It  is  often  a  hundred  feet  in  height,  sending  up 
a  strong,  massive,  sinewy  trunk  to  more  than  half  that 
distance,  when  it  divides  into  brawny,  wide-spreading 
branches,  and  covers  their  delicate  sprays  with  a  thick 
green  canopy  of  velvety  leaves, — the  whole  bearing  a 
striking  resemblance  to  a  mighty  umbrella. 

The  inscription,  quoted  above,  is  rej^eated  in  Latin 
on  another  face  of  the  monument;  and  on  a  third  is 
still  another,  of  the  following  import : — 

"D.  O.  M. 

"  The  most  illustrious  and  august  hero,  Cliristopher  Columbus, 
famed  for  his  nautical  skill,  after  having  discovered  a  New  World 


THE   CATHEDRAL.  61 

and  given  it  to  the  crown  of  Castile,  died  at  Valladolid,  May  20tli, 
1506.  His  body,  being  given  in  charge  of  tlie  Spanisli  Carthu- 
sians, was  transferred,  at  his  own  request,  to  the  Church  of  the 
Metropolis  of  Hispaniola*  Wlien  peace  was  concluded  with  the 
French  Republic,  his  remains  were  removed  from  thence  to  the 
Cathedral  of  the  Virgin  Mary  of  the  Conception ;  the  principal 
religious  orders  assisting  at  the  solemnities,  Jan.  19th,  1795.  The 
city  of  Havana,  honoring  the  memory  of  so  great  a  benefactor, 
treasures  his  remains  unto  the  last  great  day. 

"  The  illustrious  Senor  Don  Philip  Joseph  Trespalacios  being 
Bishop,  and  His  Excellency  Don  Louis  de  las  Casas,  Governor  and 
Captain-General." 

Few  stones  have  so  deeply  stirred  the  world's  heart 
as  that  of  Columbus ;  few  pictures  are  so  clear  to  our 
mental  vision  as  the  calm,  noble  figure  of  the  great 
Genoese,  standing  on  the  prow  of  his  miserable,  leaky 
vessel,  with  a  background  of  dark,  mutinous  faces,  and 
straining  his  eager,  confident  gaze  over  the  unknown 
seas,  for  a  first  glimpse  of  that  l^ew  World  which  had  so 
long  limned  itself  upon  his  imagination,  or  beckoned  to 
him  in  his  dreams.  I  turned  my  steps  toward  the  Cathe- 
dral, therefore,  with  something  of  the  spirit  in  which 
devout  pilgrims,  in  Catholic  countries,  seek  out  the  tombs 
of  saints  and  martyrs. 

The  "Cathedral  de  la  Virgen  Maria  de  la  Concep- 
cion "  (to  give  its  name  in  full)  is  a  large,  quaint  struc- 


*  Hayti  was  named  Hispaniola,  or  New  Spain,  by  Columbus  ; 
its  "metropolis"  was  St.  Domingo.  It  is  curious  to  note  how 
successfully  these  islands  have  resisted  all  foreign  christening. 
Cuba  was  successively  named  Juana,  Fernandina,  Santiago,  and 
Ave  Maria,  but  still  clings  to  its  first  Indian  name  of  Cuba. 


52  3ir   WINTER  IX  CUBA. 

ture  of  stone,  with  a  pillared  front,  a  tower  at  each 
angle,  and  a  hoary,  crumbly,  moss-grown  surface.  It 
is  not  beautiful ;  it  would  scarcely  be  imposing  but  for 
its  age  and  the  sj^iritual  grandeur  which  invests  and 
transfigures  it.  For  the  edifice  that  contains  the  ashes 
of  Columbus  must  needs  have  a  moral  sublimity  far 
more  impressive  than  any  mere  majesty  of  architecture ; 
they  honor  the  walls  where  they  lie  more  than  the 
grandest  mausoleum  could  honor  them.  And  in  truth, 
no  building  rej^ays  long  study,  unless  its  walls  contain 
some  ideal  structure  or  shadow  forth  some  Divme  truth, 
vastly  more  grand  and  beautiful  than  aught  which  meets 
the  outward  gaze ;  and  whenever  this  sentiment,  or  soul^ 
of  the  structure  is  lost  sight  of,  and  you  feel  yourself 
compassed  about  and  overborne  by  barren  facts  of  stone 
and  mortar,  height  and  depth,  color  and  finish,  better 
turn  your  back  upon  it  and  go  your  way,  ere  the  hard, 
unyielding  details  of  the  Actual  have  conquered  and 
cast  out  the  richer,  nobler,  lovelier  vision  of  the  Ideal. 
Mass  was  being  celebrated  as  we  entered  the  shadowy 
portal,  and  the  nave  was  partly  filled  with  kneeling 
figures  of  women.  I  but  half  noted  these  things,  how- 
ever, in  the  first,  quick  glance  that  I  sent  round  the 
building,  in  search  of  its  chief  object  of  interest ;  and 
having  found  that,  I  saw  nothing  further.  A  mural 
tablet,  in  the  choir,  on  the  left  of  the  high  altar,  shows 
where  the  remains  of  the  Great  Discoverer  rest  finally, 
after  their  several  sojourns  at  Valladolid,  Seville,  and 
San  Domingo,  before  they  were  brought  hither  and 
inumed  in  the  chancel  wall.     The   tablet  is  of  white 


THE   CATHEDRAL.  63 

marble,  and  presents  in  alto-relievo  a  bust  of  Columbus, 
with  nautical  instruments  grouped  underneath,  and  the 
following  inscription : 

"  0  Restos  e  Imagen  del  grande  Colon  ! 
Mil  siglos  durad  guardados  en  la  Urna, 
Y  en  la  remenilfranza  de  nuestra  Xacion."  * 

This  seems  rather  meagre,  but  it  suffices  to  bring  the 
whole  familiar  story  of  that  marvellous  life  before  the 
spectator ;  and  leaning  against  a  convenient  column,  I 
gave  myself  up  to  the  contemplation  thereof,  and  the 
reflections  inseparable  therefrom.  I  thought  of  his  lono-, 
patient  struggle,  his  short,  brilliant  triumph,  his  sud- 
den, unmerited  disgrace ;  I  remembered  his  unflinchino- 
courage,  his  high-souled  devotion,  his  patience  under 
provocation,  his  generosity  in  success,  his  dignity  in 
misfortune ;  until,  at  last,  bowed  and  broken — far  less 
by  the  toils  of  an  adventurous  life,  the  long  sickness  of 
hope  deferred,  or  the  persecutions  of  enemies,  than  by 
the  coldness  and  treachery  of  friends,  and  the  "  serjDent's 
tooth"  of  ingratitude — he  gave  up  the  long  struggle, 
and  died  with  the  pathetic  request  that  his  chains  (those 
chains  wherein  he  had  been  brought  back  from  the  hem- 
isphere which  he  had  discovered,  to  the  country  which  he 
had  enriched  by  the  magnificent  gift!)  might  be  buried 
with  him  in  the  Island  of  his  love.     Poor,  proud,  broken 

*  A  literal  translation  of  which  is, — 

"  O  remains  and  image  of  the  great  Colon  ! 
Endure  for  a  thousand  ages,  guarded  in  tliis  urn. 
And  in  the  remembrance  of  our  nation." 


54  3IY  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

heart !  its  long  ache  over,  its  indignant  throbbinga 
stilled,  it  rests  tranquilly  in  the  bosom  of  the  beautiful 
"  Queen  of  the  Antilles,"  the  fairest  jewel  in  the  crown 
of  that  realm  which  repaid  the  donor  with  coldness, 
ingratitude,  imprisonment,  and  neglect.  Yet  thus  has 
the  world  ever  treated  its  benefactors,  even  as  it  cru- 
cified its  Christ !  O  hearts  that  toil  and  yearn  for  the 
good  of  your  race  ! — O  eyes  straining  your  gaze  across 
the  ocean  of  discovery  for  some  yet  unfound  help  or 
consolation  or  beauty ! — look  for  no  reward  here  but  the 
iron  that  enters  into  the  soul  and  the  crown  that 
lacerates  the  brow.  Yet  be  not  discouraged!  but  so 
labor  and  so  pray  that  ye  may  receive  your  reward 
hereafter  from  the  hand  of  Him,  whose  sweet  words 
float  down  to  us  through  the  wrong  and  the  discord  of 
nineteen  centuries,  "  Not  as  the  world  gives,  give  I  unto 
you.'''* 

The  thread  of  my  meditations  was  broken  by  a 
light  touch  on  my  shoulder,  and  a  priest  at  my  elbow 
said,  very  politely,  and  in  good  English,  "  Will  you 
please  to  kneel  ?  "  I  heard  him  make  the  same  request 
of  other  visitors  standing  near,  but,  as  far  as  I  could  see, 
without  producing  any  effect,  except  that  one  or  two 
drew  back  into  a  somewhat  less  conspicuous  position, 
near  the  wall.  However,  it  seems  to  me  both  discourte- 
ous and  irreverent,  to  listen  to  any  religious  service 
without  paying  some  token  of  respect  to  its  intent,  or 
to  the  proportion  of  truth  which  it  contains ;  and  as  a 
pleasant-faced  Spanish  girl  close  at  my  feet,  with  a 
courteous   gesture,  made   room  for  me  on   her  bit  of 


THE   CATnEDRAL.  55 

carpet,  I  sank  down  beside  her  in  the  desired  posture. 
It  was  beautiful  and  fitting,  I  thought,  in  tliat  vast,  old 
temple,  with  the  tomb  of  Columbus  preaching  solemnly 
of  earth's  mutations  and  disappointments,  that  I  should 
join  my  foreign  sisters  in  a  fervent  prayer  that,  as  Christ 
was  lifted  up  on  the  cross  for  the  whole  race  of  man,  so 
we,  and  all  who  believe  on  Him,  might  be  lifted  above 
the  ambitions,  the  temptations,  and  the  cares  of  the 
world,  into  a  j^urity  of  life  and  a  charity  of  temper 
becoming  His  followers.  But  it  was  impossible  to  pre- 
serve a  devotional  frame  of  mind  long;  thoughts  of 
Columbus,  of  Romish  dogmas  and  corruptions,  recol- 
lections of  a  simpler  and  more  helpful  ritual  in  the  hon;e- 
tongue  and  the  home-land,  chased  each  other  swiftly 
through  my  brain:  and  I  was  glad  when  the  service 
allowed  a  change  of  posture,  and  I  could  sit  comfortably 
(squat  were  the  more  descriptive,  though  less  elegant, 
term)  on  my  carpet,  and  gaze  around  me  like  my  neigh- 
bors,— only  without  the  pretence,  or  the  mechanical 
habit,  of  devotion,  which  kept  the  beads  of  their 
rosaries  sliding  through  their  slender  fingers,  and  their 
lips  moving  with  inaudible  "Pater  Fosters"  and  "Ave 
Marias." 

There  was  a  number  of  priests  at  the  altar,  twelve  or 
fifteen,  at  least, — all  dignified  of  mien,  and  reverent  of 
manner.  The  intoning  of  the  service  was  unpleasantly 
loud  and  harsh,  and  the  echo  from  the  marble  Avails  was 
like  the  blare  of  a  trumpet.  There  was  no  choir  but  the 
priestly  one,  which  was  accompanied-  by  an  extremely 
fine,  sweet-toned  organ.     There  was  somewhat  more  of 


56  3fV   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

ceremony  in  the  lighting,  placing,  and  carrying  of  wax 
candles,  and-  the  swinQ^incc  of  censers  and  burning^  of 
incense,  than  I  have  observed  in  the  service  of  the 
Romish  Church  in  the  United  States ;  and  at  one  time 
an  altar-boy  offered  a  small  golden  vessel — probably 
containing  a  relic — to  the  lips  of  the  devotees  nearest 
the  altar,  who  kissed  it  with  great  apparent  reverence 
and  eagerness. 

The  interior  of  the  Cathedral  is  far  finer  than  its 
outside  warrants.  The  lofty  dome  and  vaulted  roof  are 
supported  by  tall  pillars  of  marble ;  there  is  some  very 
fine  masonry  of  stones  of  divers  colors,  whereof  the 
dominant  hue  is  a  sunny  yellow  ;  and  the  walls  are 
richly  frescoed,  though  the  colors  are  somewhat  dimmed 
by  time.  The  high  altar  is  a  magnificent  affair,  consist- 
ing of  a  base  of  various  kinds  of  marble  supporting  a 
dome  and  pillars  of  porphyry,  under  which  is  a  statue 
of  the  Immaculate  Conception ;  but  it  is  covered  with 
such  a  medley  of  images,  candlesticks,  artificial  flowers, 
and  tinsel,  that  all  idea  of  sacredness  is  quite  lost  in  its 
irresistible  suggestion  of  a  toy-shop.  Behind  it  is  the 
bishop's  throne ;  and  around  are  the  stalls  for  the  priests, 
of  richly  wrought  mahogany,  with  carved  heads  of  the 
apostles  over  them.  Various  smaller  altars  and  shrines 
are  ranged  along  the  side- walls,  each  with  its  appropriate 
pictures,  doll-like  images  dressed  in  tinsel  and  tawdri- 
ness,  artificial  flowers,  and  bones  of  saints  preserved  in 
alcohol  like  diseased  specimens  in  a  surgeon's  oflftce ;  but 
I  brought  none  of  these  things  away  in  my  memory, 
except  a  hideous,  distorted  image  of  the  Mater  Dolorosa^ 
which,  havinpj  once  seen,  it  is  not  easy  to  forget. 


THE   CATHEDRAL..  67 

The  floor  was  of  variegated  marble,  unincumbered 
by  seats,  except  a  few  benches  running  from  pillar  to 
pillar  up  the  nave,  for  the  accommodation  of  foreign 
visitors.  In  the  body  of  the  church  knelt  the  dark-eyed 
Hahaneras^  telling  their  beads  with  a  graceful,  piquant 
turn  of  their  small  hands,  and  taking  calm  note  of  all 
that  was  going  on  around  them,  at  the  same  time. 
Every  few  moments,  a  new-comer  appeared,  followed  by 
a  servant  bearing  her  square  of  carpet ;  and  when  tluit 
was  duly  spread  for  the  mistress  in  the  most  eligible 
vacancy,  the  servant  knelt  behind  on  the  marble,  with  a 
manifest  expectation  of  sailing  smoothly  to  heaven  in 
her  wake.  The  ladies  were  nearly  all  dressed  in  black — • 
the  prescribed  costume  for,  church-going, — with  the 
graceful  Spanish  mantilla  of  black  lace  covering  their 
heads  and  falling  around  their  shoulders.  I  was  sur- 
prised to  see  how  much  prettier,  more  delicate  and  more 
womanly,  they  looked  thus  than  as  I  had  seen  them  on  the 
paseo;  and  I  remembered  half-remorsefully  the  sweeping 
criticism  on  their  personal  appearance  that  I  there  regis- 
tered against  them.  The  young  girl  who  had  made 
room  for  me  looked  positively  lovely,  with  her  eyes  cast 
down,  their  long  lashes  sweeping  her  cheek,  and  her  face 
partly  shaded  by  her  mantilla ;  and  just  opposite  was  a 
lady  of  regal  beauty,  whose  large,  black,  steadfast  eyes, 
and  statue-like  grace  and  stillness  of  2^ose^  held  me  spell- 
bound with  admiration.  It  was  melancholy  to  think 
that  such  loveliness  should  be  disguised,  degraded, 
utterly  lost,  in  those  tawdry  fineries  of  the  paseo ! 

Near  the  altar  I  saw  a  Franciscan  monk  in  dark  blue 
3* 


68  MT   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

gown  with  rope-girdle ;  farther  down  was  a  Carmelite 
in  brown ;  and  an  old  negro,  wrinkled,  white-haired,  and 
bent,  knelt  in  the  shadow  of  one  of  the  pillars,  with  a 
touchingly  devout  and  absorbed  face — the  only  males 
that  I  saw  joining  in  the  service.  Several  gentlemen, 
mostly  foreigners,  lounged  in  the  aisles  outside  the  col- 
umns, scanning,  and  commenting  upon,  the  kneeling 
women  ;  and  many  more  were  gathered  at  the  door,  wait- 
ing to  hand  them  to  their  volantes,  as  they  came  forth. 
This  service  may  be  rendered  to  a  lady  by  any  gentleman 
who  is  at  hand ;  and,  if  he  be  so  minded,  he  can  add  a 
compliment  to  her  beauty,  and  it  will  be  received  with 
smiles  and  thanks.  Let  him  not  presume  upon  this 
graciousness,  however,  to  accost  her  elsewhere;  she 
will  probably  ignore  any  previous  knowledge  of  him, 
and  her  nearest  male  relative  will  be  prompt  to  avenge 
the  insult  with  pistol  or  stiletto.  It  is  almost  the  only 
thing  in  which  you  can  expect  a  Spaniard  to  be  in  a 
hurry.  For  every  other  hasty  impulse,  in  business  or 
pleasure,  he  has  a  convenient,  salutary  proverb,  "  El  que 
se  aj^resura,  se  Tnuere^  y  el  que  no  tamhien^''  (he  who 
hurries,  dies,  and  he  who  hurries  not,  dies  also) ;  but  in 
the  matter  of  resentment,  it  is  not  even  a  "  word  and 
a  blow,"  but  the  blow  comes  first  and  renders  word 
unnecessary. 

Mass  being  over,  we  commenced  a  systematic  tour 
of  the  building.  Beginning  with  the  side  altars,  we 
found  them  to  be  mostly  of  solid  mahogany,  richly 
carved  and  gilt ;  with  noAV  and  then  a  really  fine  old 
painting  by  way  of  altar-piece.     One  Qf  these  is  said  to 


THE   CATHEDRAL.  69 

be  a  Murillo,  but  the  evidence  of  its  genuiueness  is 
Bcarcely  conclusive.  Opposite  to  the  tomb  of  Columbus 
is  a  painting  on  glass,  more  curious  and  venerable  than 
beautiful,  having  been  j^ainted  in  Italy,  and  blessed  by 
the  Pope,  m  1478,  some  years  before  the  discovery  of 
America. 

Seeing  us  hesitate  between  two  doors,  a  liandsome 
young  deacon,  or  neophyte  of  some  sort,  came  forward 
and  ofiered  to  guide  us.  Under  his  auspices,  we  took  a 
closer  view  of  the  high  altar  and  the  choir ;  and  were 
especially  delighted  with  the  glorious  vista  of  the  inte- 
rior church  as  seen  from  tlience,  with  yellow  rays  of 
sunshine  and  deep  shadows  of  massive  pillars  and  arclies 
intermingling  on  its  marble  floor.  We  also  beheld  the 
rear  of  the  tomb  of  Columbus,  and  glanced  into  the 
little  chapel  of  the  "Virgin  of  Loretto,"  where  two  or 
three  penitents  were  kneeling,  not  so  absorbed  in  their 
devotions  but  that  they  returned  our  glance  with  interest. 
In  the  vestuario^  we  were  shown  the  robes  of  the  priests, 
of  rich  velvet,  satin,  lace,  and  gold  and  silver  tissue, 
often  richly  embroidered  and  adorned  with  precious 
stones;  also  the  altar  linens  and  laces,  of  exquisite 
fineness  and  beauty ;  also  divers  silver  crucifixes,  candle- 
sticks, censers,  chalices,  sj^rinklers,  etc.,  etc.  Our  young 
guide'  tossed  these  things  about  in  a  way  that  Avould 
have  made  his  superiors  stare,  I  am  certain ;  he  threw 
a  chasuble  over  Juan's  broad  shoulders,  to  give  better 
effect  to  its  embroidery,  put  the  incense  boxes  to  my 
nose,  and  hospitably  offered  us  a  bumper  of  the  sacra- 
mental wine.     lie  then  led  the  way  to  the  j^arish  chapel 


60  MY    WINTUR   IN  CUBA. 

alongside  of  the  Cathedral,  showed  the  large  font  con- 
taming  the  holy  water  (of  such  cai:>acity  that  it  needs  to 
be  filled  and  blessed  but  once  a  year),  and  offered  to  fill 
me  a  bottle  with  the  sacred  fluid,  if  I  desired.  Xext,  he 
led  us  through  the  shadowy  cloisters, — worn  smooth  by 
the  footsteps  of  more  than  a  hundred  years ! — to  the 
sunny  inner  court-yard,  where  flowers  were  blooming 
and  ancient  fountains  dripping  ;  and  upon  which  looked 
the  windows  of  the  ecclesiastical  dormitories  and  offices, 
and  the  galleries  of  the  theological  seminary  of  San 
Carlos.  On  our  way,  we  saw  priests  praying,  hearing 
confessions,  reading,  smoking,  chatting,  and  promenad- 
ing, and  the  sweet  echoes  of  the  organ  and  the  deep 
voices  of  the  priestly  choir  followed  us  throughout, — a 
second  service  being  now  in  progress  in  tlie  Cathedral. 
Finally,  our  obliging  guide  showed  us  out  through  a 
side-entrance  at  the  light  of  the  chapel.  Here,  I  thought 
I  should  have  sunk  tlirough  the  floor,  to  see  Juan  take 
out  his  purse  and  offer  him  a  gratuity  for  his  pains ! 
But  my  mortification  was  wasted,  inasmuch  as  he 
accepted  it  without  surprise  or  difficulty.  I  have  since 
learned  that  no  one  need  scruple  to  hold  out  a  real  or  a 
peseta  to  anybody  in  Cuba  from  whom  he  has  occasion 
to  receive  the  smallest  service. 


CIIAPTEE.  Vm. 

THE     riSH-lMAKKET. 

4^  "TTTE  will  just  look  into  la  pescaderia^''  said  Juan, 
as  we  left  the  Cathedral.     "  It  is  close  by." 

"  I  would  rather  be  excused,"  said  I.  "  Fish  liave  no 
chai-ms  for  me,  at  any  j^oint  between  the  water  and  the 
dinner-table.     And  as  for  a  fish-market — faugh  ! " 

"  But  everybody  goes,"  persisted  Juan. 

"  I  will  be  nobody,  then,  and  stay  away." 

Nevertheless,  Juan's  native  Spanish  obstinacy  car- 
ried the  day.  The  fish-market  being  reached,  in  we 
went. 

Nor  was  the  visit  ill-repaid.  La  pescaderia  is  built 
of  stone,  with  an  arcaded  front.  The  forms  for  the 
reception  of  the  fish  are  permanent  structures  of  stone 
or  marble,  with  tiled  tops  ;  and  upon  them  is  perhaps 
the  finest  piscatorial  display  to  be  seen  in  the  world ; 
for  the  waters  hereabout  have  a  multifarious  finny  popu- 
lation, some  portion  of  which  makes  part  of  every  break- 
fast and  dinner  served  in  Havana  or  its  vicinity.  In  my 
tour  of  the  market,  I  saw  sharks,  large  and  small,  whole 
and  in  fractions, — huge  porpoises,  waiting  to  be  turned 
into  oil,  tasajo,  and  canes, — rays,  armed  with  wicked- 
looking    spines, — beautifully   striped  bass   and  parrot- 


62  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

fish,  —  immense  flounders,  —  fish  blue,  green,  silver, 
golden,  spotted,  and  rainbow-hued, — to  say  nothing  of 
snake-like  eels,  and  shell-fish  of  every  known  and  un- 
known variety.  It  was  impossible  to  avoid  becoming 
interested  ;  some  of  the  monsters  were  fascinatingly 
ugly,  some  of  the  smaller  fry  exquisitely  beautiful ;  and 
I  hung  over  the  stands  till  Juan  sarcastically  observed 
that  the  difficulty  of  getting  me  in  was  likely  to'  be 
more  than  equalled  by  the  difficulty  of  getting  me 
out! 

"  What  a  fine  building  it  is !  "  I  rejoined,  somewhat 
irrelevantly,  looking  up  at  the  massive  stone  pillars  and 
arches,  and  comparing  them  mentally  with  the  dinginess 
and  dilapidation  of  the  larger  New  York  markets. 

"  Oh  !  "  said  Juan,  "  the  market  is  a  government 
institution  and  monopoly,  you  know." 

"  But  I  don't  know,"  returned  I.    "  How  should  I  ?  " 

Thereupon  Juan  told  me  a  story.  To  the  best  of  my 
recollection  and  belief,  it  ran  as  follows : 

In  the  days  when  Tacon  was  Captain-General  of 
Cuba, — that  is  to  say,  between  1834  and  1838, — a  cer- 
tain daring  and  skilful  adventurer,  half-smuggler,  half- 
pirate,  named  Marti,  at  the  head  of  a  number  of  lawless 
men  like  himself,  haunted  and  harassed  the  coast ;  mak- 
ing the  neighboring  Isle  of  Pines,  of  which  he  styled  him- 
self the  "  King,"  his  chief  stronghold  and  base  of  oper- 
ations. With  characteristic  energy  and  determination, 
Tacon  at  once  set  to  work  to  capture  the  leader  and 
break  up  the  band ;  but  after  some  months  of  ceaseless 


THE  FISH-MARKET.  63 

activity  and  vigilance,  was  mortified  to  see  tliat  he  liad 
accomplislied  literally  nothing.  The  light,  fleet  vessels 
of  the  rovers,  guid(?d  by  men  who  Avere  familiar  with 
every  rock,  shoal,  channel,  and  inlet,  of  the  waters 
which  they  frequented,  had  laughed  to  scorn  his  Avhole 
maritime  force;  while  his  coast-guard  had  been  alter- 
nately beaten  and  outwitted. 

Tacon  now  set  another  and  more  powerful  agent  at 
work — gold.  He  offered  a  ■  large  reward  and  a  free 
pardon  to  any  one  of  the  band  who  would  desert  and 
turn  infonner ;  and  double  the  sum  for  any  information 
that  should  lead  to  the  capture  of  Marti,  dead  or  alive. 
The  utmost  publicity  was  given  to  these  offers;  they 
were  carefully  posted  wherever  they  would  be  likely  to 
meet  the  eyes  of  the  rovers,  but  for  a  time  without  ap- 
parent effect, — the  band  of  Marti  held  no  traitor. 

However,  late  one  night,  as  Tacon  was  TVTiting  in 
his  room  alone,  with  a  sentinel  marching  up  and  down 
the  corridor,  a  tall,  dark-  man,  wrapped  in  a  military 
cloak,  quietly  walked  in  from  the  antechamber. 

Tacon  sprang  to  his  feet.  "  Who  are  you  ? "  he 
demanded,  haughtily.  "  And  how  came  you  here,  at 
this  hour,  unannounced?     What  do  you  want  ?  " 

"  One  question  at  a  time,  Excelencia^''  answered  the 
stranger,  composedly.  "  It  does  not  matter,  at  present, 
who  I  am.  I  came  by  the  door,  as  you  saw.  And  I  am 
here  to  give  information  of  great  value  to  the  govern- 
ment. But  it  is  for  your  car  alone.  Therefore,  speak 
not  so  loud  ;  the  entrance  of  yonder  guard  would  seal 
my  lips,  and  tortures  would  not  open  them.  Is  your 
Excellency  willing  to  listen  to  what  I  have  to  say?'' 


64  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA, 

"  Speak  on,"  rei)liecl  Tacon. 

"  You  desire  information  of  the  island-rovers.  You 
have  offered  a  princely  reward  for  the  capture  of  Marti, 
their  caj)tain." 

"  Yes,  yes ! "  exclaimed  Tacon,  eagerly, — "  what  do 
you  know  of  him  ?  " 

"  Excelencia^''  replied  the  stranger,  "  I  must  needs 
be  cautious ;  I  would  not  criminate  myself." 

*'  Be  easy  on  that  point,"  returned  Tacon,  "  a  free 
pardon  is  guaranteed  to  the  informant." 

"  Suppose  he  were  himself  a  leader  among  the  rov- 
ers?" 

"  It  makes  no  difference,"  said  Tacon,  impatiently. 

"A  distinct  understanding  at  first  saves  trouble  at 
last,"  replied  his  visitor,  coolly.  "Have  I  your  Excel- 
lency's word  of  honor  that  I  shall  receive  the  promised 
reward,  and  an  unconditional  pardon  for  all  past  viola- 
tions of  the  laws, — no  matter  what  is  my  name  and 
character, — if  I  guide  you  to  the  secret  haunts  of  the 
rovers,  and  deliver  Marti  into  your  hands  ?  " 

"You  have." 

'•^  Excelencia,  the  Captain-General  Tacon  has  been 
called  ambitious,  despotic,  even  cruel ;  but  no  one  has 
ever  yet  accused  him  of  breaking  his  plighted  word — " 

"Nor  ever  will,"  interrupted  the  general,  haughtily. 

The  dark  stranger  folded  his  arms  with  dignity. 

"  Senor^  one  half  of  my  part  of  our  compact  is  ful- 
filled.    I  am  Marti — and  in  your  hands." 

Tacon  started,  and  almost  involuntarily  extended 
his  hand  toward  a  brace  of  pistols  lying  on  the  table. 


THE  FISH-MARKET.  65 

The  rover  stood  unmoved  and  motionless.  Instantly- 
recovering  himself,  the  general  drew  back  his  hand, 
eyed  his  visitor  keenly,  mused  for  a  moment,  resumed 
his  chair,  and  began  a  low,  business-like  conversation, 
which  we  need  not  follow. 

Early  on  the  next  morning,  a  man-of-war  in  the 
harbor  was  ordered  to  prepare  for  an  immediate  cruise. 
At  noon,  Marti  was  sent  on  board,  under  guard.  His 
directions  were  to  be  obeyed  strictly,  as  long  as  he 
seemed  to  be  acting  in  good  faith ;  but  he  was  to  be 
shot  down  without  delay  at  the  first  indication  of 
treachery.  The  rover,  however,  had  not  the  least  in- 
tention of  turning  back  in  the  path  upon  which  he  had 
entered.  -One  by  one,  the  hiding-places  of  the  rovers 
were  visited,  their  stores  seized,  their  vessels  captured, 
and  themselves  made  prisoners,  by  the  help  of  the  chief 
whom  they  had  refused  to  betray  ! 

When  the  work  was  complete,  Marti  returned  to  the 
general  to  claim  his  reward.  "You  have  kept  your 
word,"  said  the  latter,  "I  keep  mine.  Here  is  your 
pardon  ;  and  here  is  an  order  on  the  treasury  for  the 
sum  of " 

"  Excelencia,  I  have  thought  better  of  it,"  inter- 
ruj^ted  Marti.  "  The  treasury  is  low,  the  payment  of 
so  large  a  sum  will  be  inconvenient.  I  propose  an 
exchange.  No  man  on  the  island  knows  the  fishing- 
grounds  so  well  as  myself.  Give  me  the  exclusive  right 
to  the  fishing,  and  the  fishing  trade,  in  the  vicinity  of 
Havana,  for  the  next  twenty  years,  and  you  may  keep 
the  order:     I  will  build  a  public  market  that  shall  be  an 


66  3fr   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

ornament  to  the  city ;  and  at  the  end  of  the  twenty  years, 
both  the  market  and  the  riglit  shall  revert  to  the  gov- 
ernment." 

"Agreed,"  said  Tacon,  after  a  moment's  consider- 
ation. 

At  the  expiration  of  the  time  specified,  Marti  was 
the  richest  man  in  Cuba.  The  market  and  the  rio^ht 
then  reverted  to  the  government,  which  has  since  re- 
tained it. 

"  And  how  did  Marti  end  finally  ? "  I  asked,  when 
the  story  was  done. 

"Died  in  his  bed,  mth  the  consolations  of  the 
Church.  Beyond  that — one  doesn't  care  to  follow 
him !  "  replied  Juan,  with  an  expressive  shrug  of  the 
shoulders,  as  he  turned  away  to  examine  the  writhing, 
flouncing  load  of  a  newly-arrived  fisherman. 

Seeing  me  leaning  somewhat  wearily  against  one  of 
the  pillars,  a  good-natured  fish-wife  wiped  the  end  of  a 
bench  and  pushed  it  toward  me. 

"  Thank  you,"  said  I,  sitting  down.  And  I  added, 
by  way  of  explanation, — "I  have  spent  the  whole 
morning  in  the  cathedral." 

"  Ah !  no  wonder  la  2^obre  nina  is  tired,"  said  the 
woman,  compassionately.  "But  isn't  it  a  beautiful 
church !  "  And  she  brought  the  tips  of  thumb  and 
fingers  to  a  focus  and  kissed  them  ecstatically,  which  is 
the  ne2)liis  ultra  of  Cuban  encomium. 

"It  is  very  fine,"  said -I,  somewhat  less  enthusi- 
astically, "But  tlie  tomb  of  Columbus  interested  me 
most." 


THE  FlSH-3IuUiKET,  G7 

She  looked  puzzled. 

"  Of  Colon,"  I  repeated.  "You  have  heard  of  Cris- 
tobal Colon."  . 

*'  Oh,  yes,"  she  replied,  smiling.  "  But  he  is  not 
dead  ;  he  still  lives." 

"  Lives  ? — ah,  yes — I  suppose  so,"  resj^onded  I,  won- 
derino'  if  she  meant  "  e7i  la  remembranza  de  oiuestra 
Qiacion,^''  and  thinking  that  she  didn't  look  quite  like  it. 

"  Si^  sefiora^^^  she  replied,  calmly,  "  he  keeps  a  cigar- 
shop  just  below  here." 

Shade  of  Columbus,  didst  thou  hear  her ! 

I  repeated  the  dialogue  to  Juan.  "  What  would  you 
have  ! "  said  he,  laughing.  "  Columbus  has  nine  thou- 
sand nine  hundred  and  ninety-nine  namesakes  on  the 
island ;  you  may  find  them  in  worse  j^laces  than  cigar- 
shops.  And  as  for  history! — if  you  should  ask  that 
woman  who  is  the  present  Captain-General,  she  would 
tell  you  '  Tacon ! '  I  think  I  heard,  in  the  United 
States,  that  there  were  people  who  regularly  voted  for 
Jackson,  at  every  presidential  election." 

The  ground  being  thus  taken  from  under  my  feet, 
nothing  remained  but  to  thank  "  that  woman  "  for  her 
courtesy,  and  depart.  I  had  already  discovered  that 
she  was  not  a  mulatto,  as  I  first  thought,  but  a  native, 
with  an  extremely  limited  acquaintance  with  soap  and 
water.  In  truth,  it  is  astonishing  to  see  how  small  a 
supply  of  those  articles  suffices  for  the  daintiest  Cubana 
of  them  all.  Instead  thereof,  she  keeps  a  bottle  of 
aguardiente  (a  kind  of  rum)  on  her  toilet-table,  with 
which  she  moistens  the  corner  of  a  napkin,  and  rubs 


68  3IT  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

her  face,  neck,  and  hands ;  beyond  which  she  seldom 
goes.  Water,  she  assures  you,  is  "very  bad  for  the 
skin ; "  and  is  dangerous  in  the  extreme  if  you  happen 
to  have  a  cold.  And  if  any  one  gets  more  than  a  daily 
allowance  of  a  pint  of  water  and  a  twenty-inch  square 
of  towel,  in  a  Cuban  hotel,  he  has  richly  earned  it  by 
browbeating  the  landlord  and  scolding  and  feeing  the 
servants. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

SHOPPING. — STREET   SIGHTS. — LA   PUERZA. 

rpHE  delights  of  shopping,  "  on  the  American  plan," 
are  unknown  in  Cuba.  In  cases  of  rare  importance 
and  urgency,  the  ladies  drive  to  the  shop-doors,  and 
such  goods  as  they  wish  to  examine  are  brought  out  to 
them.  A  clerk  standing  by  a  volante,  disj)laying  piece 
upon  piece  of  delicate  linen  lawn  and  sheer  pina  to  the 
fair  inmates,  or  trying  pair  after  pair  of  kid  and  satin 
shoes  upon  their  dainty  feet,  is  no  unusual  sight. 

In  general,  however,  when  a  Cuhana  wants  any- 
thing, from  a  spool  of  thread  to  a'  silk  robe,  she  calls, 
in  a  voice  more  clear  and  penetrating  than  soft, — for 
bells  are  also  among  things  unknown, — "  Atanasia !  "  (or 
Juana,  or  Maria,  one  of  which  names  will  be  sure  to  fit), 
and  some  unadulterated,  unmitigated  Africaness  comes 
forth  from  her  lurking  place,  turbaned  and  barefoot, 
and  drops  her  slovenly  courtesy.  To  her,  "  la  senora " 
delivers  a  writing,  setting  forth  the  nature,  quality,  and 
quantity,  of  the  article  which  she  needs ;  and  the  mes- 
senger goes  forth,  and  presently  returns  mth  a  consid- 
erable assortment  of  the  goods  required,  on  her  head 
or  in  her  hands ;  to  be  examined  and  selected  from  in 
the  lady's  ow^n  room,  assisted  by  a  small  crowd  of  chil- 


10  MY   WINTER  IN  CUBA, 

dren,  servants,  and  other  disengaged  members  of  the 
household.  Time  is  of  no  account  in  the  transaction. 
Frequently,  the  servant  trots  back  and  forth  four 
or  five  times  between  mistress  and  shops,  cheapening^ 
questioning,  and  exchanging,  ere  the  bargain  is  con- 
cluded ;  and  nearly  the  whole  day  is  consumed  in  the 
business, — i.  e.,  the  servant's  day.  Another  phase  of 
the  affair  is  also  noteworthy — the  number  and  value  of 
the  goods  thus  entrusted  to  an  ignorant,  stupid  servant. 
On  one  occasion  when  a  set  of  jewelry  was  the  thing 
desired,  Atanasia  shuffled  home  with  twenty  or  thirty 
sets,  varying  in  price  from  ten  to  fifty  dollars!  The 
science  of  thieving  cannot  have  reached  the  perfection 
here  which  it  displays  in  the  United  States : — in  our 
modern  Sodom,  she  w^ould  have  been  obligingly  relieved 
of  her  burden  on  the  first  corner  ! 

I  was  well  aware,  therefore,  that  it  was  a  daring 
breach  of  universal  custom  to  sally  forth,  on  foot,  for  a 
morning's  shopping,  after  the  American  fashion ;  but  I 
trusted  to  my  foreignness  to  excuse  the  innovation  ;  and 
I  knew  that  I  could  depend  upon  Juan's  broad  shoulders, 
and  grave,  well-known  Spanish  face  to  shield  me  from 
all  unpleasantness.  To  confess  the  truth,  I  was  in  that 
state  which  is  common  to  the  American  female  mind,  in 
view  of  sho];)ping — perfectly  sure  that  I  wanted  some- 
thing, but  by  no  means  certain  what !  Or,  to  state  the 
case  more  fairly,  I  wished  to  find  some  small  trinkets  or 
bijouterie — whatever  might  turn  up — of  imquestionable 
Cuban  manufacture,  and  as  full  of  pleasant  suggestions 
of  Cuban  climate  and  manners  as  a  rose  is  of  perfume, 


SHOPPING.  71 

to  serve  for  mementos  of  Havana,  and  gifts  to  friends 
at  home.  If  further  justification  of  the  step  be  re- 
qiiii'ed,  it  must  be  found  in  the  fact  that  I  was  dying  (in 
a  figure)  for  -want  of  exercise.  Ui)  to  this  time  I  had 
made  use  of  "  Cuban  feet,"  i.  e.,  the  volante.  I  now 
desired  to  satisfy  myself,  by  a  brisk  walk,  that  my  own 
were  still  fit  for  service,  and  not  Cubanized  into  merely 
ornamental  appendages,  good  for  nothing  under  the 
sun  but  to  adorn  with  fanciful  french  boots  and  slip- 
pers, and  repose  upon  a  footstool  for  the  admiration  of 
all  and  sundry.  I  had  tried  to  keep  them  somewhat  in 
training  by  pacing  up  and  down  the  galleries  and  roofs 
of  the  hotel,  followed  by  the  wondering  gaze  of  its 
Cuban  inmates,  till  I  was  indescribably  sick  of  the  tame 
performance.  All  the  more,  that  it  invariably  recalled 
the  forlorn  image  of  a  royal  lion  which  I  once  saw  march- 
ing restlessly  up  and  down  his  narrow  cage,  with  a 
disdainful  indiiference  to  all  spectators,  and  an  eye  of 
sorrowful  longing  for  the  freedom  of  his  native  jungle. 

Juan  and  I  were  soon  deep  in  the  intricacies  of 
the  narrow  streets  of  the  old  city — so  narrow  that 
a  stranger  is  apt  to  pass  the  first  hours  of  his  explo- 
rations in  wondering  when  he  will  get  out  of  the 
lanes  and  into  the  streets;  but  he  will  find  only  a 
few  worthy  of  the  name,  and  those  outside  the  walls. 
In  the  older  streets,  I  was  often  obliged  to  flatten  myself 
against  the  walls  of  the  houses,  to  avoid  being  swept 
off  the  narrow  pavement  by  the  furious  j^assage  of  a 
volante ;  a  vehicle  which  dashes  so  recklessly  through 
the  streets  and  round  the  corners,  that,  if  the  wide,  high 


12  MY   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

windows  were  less  strongly  iron-grated,  it  would  be 
certain  to  plunge  headlong  into  a  drawing-room  now 
and  then,  in  some  of  its  rash  turnings  and  erratic  pro- 
gressions. Many  of  the  streets  were  quite  roofed  with 
awnings,  stretched  from  side  to  side  ;  and  it  was  easy 
to  imag:ine  one's  self  walkinsj  under  the  vast  tent  of 
Peri-Benon,  of  Arabian  ^NTights'  fame,  if  there  were  only 
a  few  turbans  and  caftans  about  to  help  out  the  illusion. 
In  truth,  there  is  an^  almost  ridiculous  incongruity 
between  the  quaint,  Oriental  aspect  of  Cuban  archi- 
tecture and  manners,  and  the  modern  French  fashions — 
stove-pipe  hats  and  close-fitting  pants.  In  one  sense, 
certainly,  Paris  is  "  the  world." 

The  walls  of  the  houses  are  often  two  or  three  feet  in 
thickness,  built  of  an  irregular  mixture  of  stones  and 
mortar,  and  then  stuccoed  and  painted.  Although  they 
are  seldom  of  more  than  one  story,  the  front  wall  is  not 
less  than  twenty  feet  high,  the  top  being  ornamented  with 
urns  or  carvings,  and  the  roof  sloping  back  to  an  interior 
court,  upon  which  most  of  the  rooms  open.  If  the  house 
boasts  of  two  stories,  the  lower  part  is  occupied  as  a 
store,  or  devoted  to  the  kitchens,  offices,  and  stables ; 
and  the  upper  floor  is  reached  by  a  wide  staircase  from 
the  court,  leading  to  a  corridor  above.  The  entrance 
is  wide  and  lofty;  the  doors  are  double,  of  exceeding 
thickness,  and  further  strengthened  by  bands  and 
knobs  of  brass  or  iron  till  they  look  fit  to  resist  a 
battering-ram ;  and  the  windows  are  without  glass 
and  iron-grated  like  a  prison.  The  floors  are  of 
marble,  tiles,  or  stucco ;  the  walls  whitewashed  or  fres- 


SHOPPING.  73 

coed ;  the  ceilings  high,  and  often  open  to  the  roof,  the 
beams  of  wliich  are  made  presentable  by  painting,  stain- 
ing, or  carving. 

But,  before  the  stranger  has  time  to  notice  all  these 
peculiarities  of  Cuban  dwellings,  his  eyes  are  dazzled  by 
their  brilliancy  and  variety  of  color,  where  all  the  hues 
of  the  rainbow  meet  and  mingle  in  odd  and  bewildering 
contrasts.  One  house  has  walls  of  a  light  green,  with 
pink  cornices  and  mouldings  ;  its  neighbor  is  a  delicate 
blue,  with  salmon  trimmings ;  the  next  is  gray  and 
orange,  with  some  admixture  of  white,— or  lilac  and 
yellow,  or  pink  and  blue,— all  shimmering  and  quivering 
in  the  hot,  glowing  air,  until  it  seems  like  a  vast,  radi- 
ating, dissolving  view.  Nevertheless,  after  the  first 
surprise  is  over,  and  your  eyes  are  a  little  wonted  to  the 
dazzle,  you  discover  that  these  vivid  tints  are  in  ex- 
quisite keeping  with  their  surroundings.  The  tropics 
suggest  color  and  demand  it.  It  cannot  easily  be  too 
profuse  nor  too  gorgeous,  albeit  a  better  taste  might 
preside  over  its  use. 

You  are  next  made  sensible  of  the  peculiar  com- 
pound odor  of  the  streets  of  Havana,  very  perceptible 
to  newly-arrived  noses,  but  not  so  easily  resolvable  by 
them  into  its  components.  The  scientific  formula  would 
probably  read  something  like  this :— "  smoke  of  tobacco, 
four  parts ;  steam  of  garlic,  three  parts ;  aroma  of  negro, 
two  parts;  miscellaneous  garbage,  one  part."  N'ever- 
theless,  Havana  is  not  an  unclean  city  in  some  senses  of 
the  word ;  it  has  none  of  that  griminess  and  stickiness 
of  filth  which  makes  Kew  York  an  abomination  to  the 
4 


74  Mr   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

eyes  and  a  stench  in  the  nostrils,  at  certain  seasons  of 
the  year.  Tlie  dryness  of  the  atmosphere  and  the  arid 
sunshine,  transform  most  impurities  into  a  fine,  cloudy 
dust ;  which  is  kept  down  in  the  city  by  means  of 
sprinkling,  but  becomes  a  sufficient  nuisance  on  country 
roads, — for  during  my  month's  stay  in  Cuba,  there  has 
been  no  rain. 

Strangest  thing  of  all,  perhaps,  to  a  foreigner,  is  the 
fact  that  as  soon  as  he  appears  on  the  streets  of  Havana, 
he  is  taken  into  the  very  heart  of  its  domestic  life.  The 
broad  doorways  are  wide  open,  and  the  window-gratings 
do  not,  in  the  least,  obstruct  his  observation  of  what 
occurs  within.  As  he  passes  along,  so  close  to  the  win- 
dows that  he  could  easily  thrust  his  arm  between  the 
iron  bars  to  its  full  length,  he  sees  ladies  chatting  and 
sewing — rocking,  meanwhile,  as  if  their  lives  depended 
on  the  regularity  and  continuity  of  the  vibratory 
motion ;  he  sees  children  playing,  and  servants  dusting 
and  scrubbing,  and  meals  being  served  and  eaten ;  he 
even  gets  glimpses  of  cooking,  washing,  and  other 
domestic  processes,  going  on  in  the  courts  and  kitchens 
in  the  rear ;  and  he  may  possibly  find  himself  involun- 
tarily witnessing  the  finishing  touches  of  a  fair  seno- 
ritci's  toilet.  If  a  lady  plays  or  sings,  it  is  for  the 
benefit  of  the  entire  neighborhood,  stationary  and  tran- 
sient ;  if  there  is  a  conjugal  quarrel,  every  passer-by  gets 
a  taste  of  its  bitterness  ;  and  there  is  a  continual  cheery 
interchange  of  greetings  between  the  inmates  of  the 
dwellings  busied  about  their  ordinary  occupations,  and 
their  neighbors  and  acquaintances  passing  by  in  volantes 


siiornxG.  75 

or  on  foot — the  salutation  always  being  "  Adlosf^^ 
which  answers  to  our  "  Good  by,"  instead  of  the 
hurried  "  How  d'ye  do  ?  "  whicli  serves  us  for  chance 
meetings. 

The  *'  Calle  de  Mercaderes "  is  the  Broadway  of 
Havana,  though  the  streets  of  Obispo  and  Ricla  are 
scarcely  less  busy  and  attractive.  Jewelry  stores  are 
many  and  handsome;  dry-goods  and  fancy-goods  are 
everywhere  ;  book-stores  are  good,  though  not  plentiful. 
A  certain  corner  store  makes  a  specialty  of  wax-tapers 
for  the  devout,  displaying  them  of  every  size  and  color, 
from  an  immense  waxen  pole  that  might  serve  as  a  sign 
for  a  barber's  shop,  to  tiny  pink,  blue,  and  white  tapers, 
fit  for  illuminating  fairy  halls.  A  certain  other  is 
devoted  to  abanicos,  otherwise  fans,  ranging  in  price 
from  fifty  cents  to  a  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  ;  the  first 
of  which  the  shopman  tells  you  is  "dumb,"  that  is, 
incapable  of  the  fan-language  wherein  the  Cubanas  are 
so  well  versed,  and  consequently  not  worth  a  groat  for 
purposes  of  flirtation ;  while  the  latter,  he  assures  you, 
will  lay  the  whole  male  population  low  at  your  feet. 
"  See  what  a  fine  snap  it  has  ! "  he  proceeds,  opening 
and  shutting  it  with  a  report  that  nearly  makes  you 
jump  out  of  your  skin.  And  having  exhausted  both 
language  and  gesture  upon  its  perfections,  he  ends  with 
that  kiss  on  the  finger-tips  which  signifies  things  unut- 
terable. Linens  and  laces  are  temptingly  cheap  ;  so  are 
palm-leaf  hats  ;  so  are  Spanish  books ;  but  having  sat- 
isfied all  reasonable  wants  in  these  lines  of  trade,  better 
shut  your  ears  and  your  purse.     Unless  you  like  to  go 


1Q  3IY   WINTER  IN   CUBA. 

to  JLa  Dominica,  and  lay  in  a  stock  of  guava  jelly  and 
marmalade  for  the  home-table.  It  is  good,  it  is  cheap, 
it  will  keep  (with  proper  care)  till  the  end  of  time.  Buy 
a  hundred  dollars  worth,  by  all  means — if  you  can 
afford  it ! 

The  merchants  do  not  put  their  names  over  their 
doors,  but  each  shop  has  its  own  pretty  or  fanciful  title 
which  figures  alluringly  on  its  sign ;  and  when  your  bills 
are  sent  home  you  find  that  you  are  indebted  to  "  The 
Pearl,"  "  The  Sunbeam,"  "  The  Casket  of  Jewels,"  "  The 
Garland  of  Flowers,"  "  The  beautiful  Marina,"  or  "  The 
Ladies'  Delight,"  instead  of  plain  John  Jones,  or  Seth 
BroAvn  :  and  you  pay  them  with  unwonted  pleasure,  the 
sweet  suggestions  of  the  poetic  names  having  shed  a 
golden  sheen  over  the  otherwise  prosaic  transaction. 

But,  oh !  the  fabulous  prices  that  those  dark,  hand- 
some, villainous  shopkeepers,  with  their  courtly  bows 
and  complimentary  phrases,  had  the  face  to  ask  me  for 
their  wares  !  and  the  smooth  falsehoods  that  they  poured 
into  my  amazed  ears,  swearing,  by  every  saint  in  the 
Spanish  calendar,  that  articles  which  had  the  marks  of 
French  and  German  manufacturers  legibly  stamped  upon 
them,  were  wholly  and  immitigably  Cuban — Cuban  from 
their  earliest  inception  to  their  latest  finish!  It  was 
very  amusing,  too,  to  see  how  evidently  Juan  was  re- 
garded in  the  light  of  an  inconvenient  and  provoking 
obstacle  in  the  way  of  trade;  and  how  one  salesman 
sought  to  engage  his  attention,  and  get  his  back  turned, 
while  another  attempted  slyly  to  impose  upon  me  some 
worthless,   tinselled   article,  with  a  magnificent   price. 


After  patient  investigation,  I  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  only  articles  of  indubitable  Cuban  workman- 
shij),  were  cigarette  holders,  palm-leaf  hats,  canes  of 
manati  skin,  a  coarse  kind  of  shoes  of  undressed 
leather,  for  plantation  wear,  and  a  few  articles  of  kitch- 
en and  bedroom  furniture.  If  I  had  insisted  upon  any- 
thing further,  I  must  have  taken  samples  of  sugar,  mo- 
lasses, and  cigars. 

As  a  last  resource,  I  sought  for  stereoscopes,  hoping 
to  get  some  faint  shadows  of  the  beauties,  the  quaint- 
nesses,  or  the  antiquities  of  the  city,  to  help  me  to  bring 
them  more  vividly  before  the  vision  of  home  friends. 
Many  of  the  merchants  were  j^ersuaded  that  such  things 
had  been  taken  sometime,  and  were  for  sale  somewhere, 
— others  thought  not, — and  after  hunting  the  "  some- 
where" through  fifteen  or  twenty  shops,  I  concluded 
that  the  last  were  right,  and  gave  up  the  search  in  dis- 
gust. For  it  was  verging  toward  noon,  and  I  was  heat- 
ed and  weai'y  with  my  long  walk  through  the  close 
sti'eets  and  burning  summer  air. 

I  went  out  of  my  way  a  little,  however,  on  my  re- 
turn route,  to  take  a  look  at  "  De  Soto's  fort,"  the  oldest 
fortification  on  the  Island.  It  was  erected  under  the 
auspices  of  the  discoverer  of  the  Mississippi,  to  protect 
the  little  town  from  the  depredations  of  French  and 
•  English  buccaneers,  when  it  was  only  a  stopping-place 
for  Spanish  vessels  plying  between  Spain  and  Mexico. 
It  is  a  gray,  weather-beaten,  antiquated  structure,  so 
much  of  it  as  belongs  to  the  original  fort ;  but  it  has 
been  roofed  over,  and  topped  by  an  additional  story,  to 


is  MY   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

make  it  serve  for  barracks;  which  modern  climax  de- 
stroyed whatever  interest  and  inspiration  I  might  other- 
wise have  gotten  out  of  it.  I  could  have  shaken  myself 
for  the  irreverence  and  irrelevance,  but  instead  of  think- 
ing of  De  Soto's  romantic  voyage  and  adventures  or 
picturing  the  long,  heart- wasting  watch  of  his  wife,  Isa- 
bel dc  Bobadilla,  for  the  return  of  the  husband  who  had 
already  found  a  grave  beneath  the  Mississippi's  yellow 
waters,  I  was  perversely  reminded  of  certain  j^atched-up 
photographs  that  I  have  somewhere  seen ;  in  which  the 
smart  coiffure  and  sprightly  features  of  a  modern  belle 
were  fitted  on  to  the  stout,  comfortable  figure,  and  old- 
fashioned  garments  of  her  grandmother ;  or  a  boy's 
rosy,  chubby  face  was  joined  to  the  shrunken  limbs 
and  "  lean  and  slippered  pantaloon  "  of  an  octogenarian. 
Neither  did  there  seem  to  *  be  any  sufficient  reason  for 
this  absurd  resemblance,  since  the  additions  to  the  fort 
do  not  appear  to  be  of  very  recent  date. 

And  now,  friends  mine,  go  back  with  ine  to  the  ho- 
tel, and  from  an  airy,  shaded  balcony,  look  out  over  the 
city  and  suburbs,  gilded  with  noontide  glory.  See  how 
the  sunshine  gathers  all  things  in  its  passionate  embrace, 
— spires,  houses,  ji^l^^s,  and  gardens,  —  and  breatlies 
over  them  a  soft,  delicious  languor.  The  air  is  full  of 
the  soothing  murmurousness  of  gauzy-winged  insects, 
swarming  and  floating  and  shining  ;  and  somewhere  afar 
is  a  faint,  faint  sound  that  must  come  from  the  ocean. 
The  atmosphere  is  of  a  mellow,  creamy  tint,  quite  difier- 
ent  from  its  clear  whiteness  at  the  North  ;  you  think  it 
must  have  been  filtered  through  gold  or  fused  in  a  cru- 


SHOPPING.  79 

cible  with  amber,  ere  it  was  shed  over  this  enchanted 
isle ;  or  you  Avonder  hoAV  many  ripe,  gorgeous,  glowing 
sunsets  it  has  dissolved  and  holds  in  solution,  to  give  it 
such  wonderful  softness  of  tone,  and  rare  luminousness 
of  tint.  Seen  through  this  warm,  palpitating  medium, 
objects  do  not  stand  out  sharp  and  clear,  as  in  our  cold- 
er atmosphere ;  their  outlines  soften  and  waver  and  grow 
vague  and  dreamy,  and  their  colors  are  smoothed  and 
blended,  until  you  cease  to  think  about  details,  and 
know  only  that  you  are  living  in  a  picture,  and  breath- 
ing sunshine — sunshine  which  is  sweetness  to  your  lungs, 
and  repose  to  your  heart.  Your  cares  are  soothed ;  your 
pains  and  ills  fall  from  you  like  ill-fitting  garments ;  all 
the  dark  realities  of  your  life  have  a  rainbow  border, 
like  objects  seen  through  a  prism.  Your  intellect  is  en- 
ervated, but  your  imagination  is  enriched  ;  you  no  long- 
er aspire  to  be  a  philosopher,  but  you  are  inly  persuaded 
that  you  were  born  a  poet,  and  have  mysterious  kinships 
with  palm-groves  and  flowers.  Sweet  snatches  of  rare 
old  songs  come  fitfully  to  your  lips — gorgeous  bits  of 
Arabian  Nights,  imagery  float  hazily  through  your  mem- 
ory— air-castles  rise,  rose-hued  and  radiant,  on  the  sap- 
phire foundations  of  the  cloudless  sky — existence  is  be- 
come a  luxury,  and  life  a  dream ! 


CHAPTER  X. 

TKOM    HAVANA   TO   MATANZAS. 

nr  HAVE  taken  my  last  look  (for  the  present)  at  the 

tomb  of  Columbus,  and  my  last  drive  on  the  Paseo 
de  Tacon — I  have  enjoyed  a  final  view  from  El  Cerro — I 
have  said  adois  to  our  friends,  Mrs.  and  Miss  K., — I 
have  packed  my  trunks,  I  am  going  to  Matanzas  !  Un- 
der a  certain  hos23itable  Spanish  roof,  in  that  second 
city  of  Cuba,  I  am  invited  to  spend  some  months.  For 
this  I  came  over  the  sea,  and  all  my  sojourning  and 
sightseeing  in  Havana  have  been  but  an  idle  loitering 
by  the  way,  a  pleasant  prologue  before  the  drama  begins. 
Now,  I  am  to  plunge  into  the  central  flow  of  Cuban 
domestic  life,  leaving  every  waif  and  suggestion  of  the 
United  States  behind.  Hereafter,  I  am  to  talk  Spanish, 
eat  Spanish,  live  Spanish, — do  everything  but  dress 
Spanish,  that  is  beyond  my  power  of  conformity  ! 

Juan  rouses  me  from  an  after-breakfast  day-dream, 
to  say  that  the  cars  will  start  in  half  an  hour.  "  The 
cars!"  I  repeat,  half  unconsciously,  "we  go  by  rail, 
then  ?  " 

"  Of  course,"  says  Juan,  looking  at  me  attentively, 
"  how  did  you  expect  to  go  ?  " 

"  On  the'  Emir's  carpet,"  say  I,  still  dreaming  of  the 


FROM  HAVANA    TO   MATANZAS.  81 

Arabian  Nights,  and  Ilaroim  al  Raschid.  "  Or,  at  least," 
— suddenly  awaking  to  present  quaint  realities, — "  in  a 
huge  volante^  with  twelve  horses,  and  six  postilions,  and 
no  end  of  silver  plate  and  jingle  !  " 

Juan's  swarthy  face  darkens  visibly.  Pure-blooded 
Spaniard  that  he  is,  with  the  true  peninsular  contempt 
for  Cuba — which  is  regarded  merely  as  a  mighty  sugar- 
cane, out  of  which  the  Home  Government  annually 
squeezes  sixteen  or  seventeen  millions  of  revenue — he 
is  not  yet  prepared  to  hear,  with  entire  equanimity,  the 
delectable  and  profitable  province  satirized,  as  he  thinks, 
by  an  alien  and  a  Yankee.  "  You  will  travel,"  he  replies, 
slowly,  and  with  dignity,  "  by  as  good  a  railway  as  ever 
you  saw  in  your  life,  smooth  and  level  as  a  ballroom 
floor;  and  at  as  rapid  a  rate  as  ever  you  did  in  the 
United  States." 

Nevertheless,  oh!  irate  descendant  of  an  hundred 
hidalgos,  permit  me  to  think  that  a  railway  seems  an 
incongruity  in  Cuba :  the  harsh  shriek  of  the  locomotive, 
echoing  over  the  palm-fringed  valleys,  steeped  in  sun- 
shine and  silence,  sounds  shriller  and  more  dissonant 
than  elsewhere.  Ruskin  opines  that  the  world  would 
be  better  off  without  railways,  and  desires  that  the 
capital  thus  employed  might  be  diverted  to  the  estab- 
lishment and  maintenance  of  schools ;  and  in  Cuba,  it  is 
easy  to  become  a  convert  to  his  opinion.  One  is  even 
ready  to  go  farther,  and  dispense  with  the  schools  also ! 
I  suspect  the  "  Cubaneras "  do  it,  in  effect.  Their  con- 
versation is  a  storehouse  of  vivid  imagery,  an  inexhaust- 
ible fount  of  graphic  and  animated  narrative  of  home 
4* 


82  J/F   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

incident  and  daily  routine, — but  "svoe  to  him  who  seeks 
to  convert  it  into  a  mine  of  information  !  Kow  and 
then,  my  New  England  temperament  escapes  for  a 
moment  from  the  languid,  soothing  spell  of  the  delicious 
climate,  and,  '-  after  its  kind,"  asks  questions.     ' 

"Can  you  tell  me  when  the  Morro  was  erected?"  I 
asked,  one  day,  of  a  stout,  -^Is^ai^  Habanera. 

'■^  Dios  mio!^'*  exclaimed  she,  with  a  low  rippling 
laugh,  "  I  am  asked  the  age* of  the  Morro,  and  I  cannot 
even  tell  my  own  ! " 

No  doubt  thine  ignorance  was  the  true  wisdom,  soft 
daughter  of  the  tropical  noon  !  Cui  bono  to  reckon  hoAV 
many  years  the  Morro  has  looked  out  on  the  shimmering 
sea,  or  how  few  it  has  taken  to  mellow  thy  beauty  into 
its  somewhat  over  ripeness?  Albeit,  not  in  the  tropics 
alone  is  the  female  memory  unreliable  with  respect  to 
age.  In  lands  nearer  the  Arctic  Circle  than  the  Equator, 
I  have  met  with  the  same  mistiness  of  recollection. 

On  another  occasion,  I  startled  a  dreamy  seiiora, 
lazily  rocking  herself  to  and  fro,  and  deep  in  the  luscious, 
golden  round  of  her  third  orange,  with  the  question : — 

"  What  is  the  population  of  Cuba  ?  " 

Looking  upon  me,  with  eyes  wherein  amazement  and 
contempt  were  at  a  drawn  battle,  and  with  the  grand, 
imj)osing  gesture  of  a  tragic  queen,  she  responded: 

"  What,  do  I  know  about  population  ?  Ask  me  how 
many  shirts  my  husband  has,  and  I  can  tell  you ! " 

Possibly  thou  wert  right  also,  languid  child  of  the 
sunbeams  !  What  need  it  matter  to  thee,  or  me,  whether 
a  few  thousands  more  or  less  of  stately  Spaniards  and 


FROM  HAVANA    TO   MATANZAS.  83 

lithe  Cubans  drive,  or  fierce  Coolies  and  brutish  Africans 
toil,  in  thine  isle  of  perpetual  summer?  Can  we  not 
lounge  and  dream  our  lives  away  in  Boston  rockers  ?  or 
thrust  our  arms,  shoulder-deep,  into  the  cool,  odorous 
green  of  'orange  boughs,  and  pluck  and  eat  the  Hespe- 
ridean  fruit  ?  But  wherefore  said'st  thou  "  shirts,'*''  oh ! 
olive-cheeked  and  night-eyed  daughter  of  the  tropics? 
For  "  shirts "  is  humdrum  and  prosaic,  suggestive  of 
close  and  wasting  toil,  of  breaking  back  and  straining 
e^es,  weary  with  eternal  stitching  of  "  band,  and  gusset, 
and  seam."  If  thou  had'st  said,  "how  many  gold  and 
silken  embroidered  slippers,"  or  sheeny  and  beaded 
watch-cases,  my  discomfiture  had  been  complete  ! 

Juan  and  I  rattle  and  swing  to  the  depot  in  a 
volwite.  Then  I  am  left  in  the  waiting-room  for  some 
moments,  while  he  attends  to  tickets,  permits  and 
checks.  Here,  I  find  myself,  for  once,  the  "  observed  of 
all  observers," — not  so  desirable  a  position,  by  any  means, 
as  it  sounds  !  However,  after  returning  as  many  of  the 
glances  levelled  at  me  as  I  can,  conveniently,  I  decide 
that  my  neighbors  are  justified  in  staring,  if  my  travel- 
1!5q^  costume  is  as  much  of  a  queerity  to  them  as  theirs 
is  to  me  !  The  ladies  are  all  attired  in  silk  or  muslin, 
as  if  for  an  afternoon  at  home,  Avithout  bonnets,  gloves, 
or  wraps ;  two  only  wear  the  Spanish  mantilla  of  black 
lace  which  I  have  seen  at  church.  Their  long  trains — 
which  they  never  hold  up — sweep  the  pavement.  Their 
flitting,  glistening,  coquettish  fans — always  in  motion, 
and  now  and  then  opened  and  shut  with  a  sharp,  sudden 
snap,  only  attainable  by  long  practice — make  the  room 


84  MY   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

as  brilliant  as  if  it  were  swarming  with  butterflies. 
They  have  no  j)arasols ;  I  have  not  seen  such  a  thing  in 
use  since  I  came  to  this  Land  of  the  Sun,  where  it  Avould 
seem  to  be  almost  a  necessity.  But  Cuban  ladies  never 
go  out  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  while  the  sun  is  hottest, 
if  it  can  be  avoided.  When  they  do,  the  overhanging 
volante  top  is  a  snfiicient  protection,  or  if  they  choose 
to  ride  with  that  thrown  back,  they  face  shine  and  wind 
"  like  a  man."  2^o,  I  do  not  mean  that,  either — for  the 
men  all  wear  hats  !  Such  exposure  has  its  legitimate 
efiect  on  the  complexion,  and  the  "  fair  sex,"  in  Cuba,  is 
uncommonly  dark. 

On  the  floor  of  the  room  are  squatted  some  half 
dozen  negresses,  in  the  capacity  of  ladies'  maids.  Their 
heads  are  gorgeously  turbaned,  of  course;  but  their 
dress,  in  other  particulars,  seems  designed  for  a  broad 
caricature  of  that  of  their  mistresses.  Others,  in  a 
lower  order  of  servitude,  are  clad  in  a.  single  garment,  a 
coarse  sort  of  "baby-frock,"  slipping  ofi"  the  shoulders, 
and  frequently  gaping  in  the  back  enough  to  reveal  the 
shining  ebony  skin  and  firm,  strong  muscle  beneath. 
If,  by  any  chance,  one  of  these  is  so  fortunate  as  to  own 
an  under-garment,  it  is  sure  to  be  "Isabella"  color;  and 
lest  any  of  my  friends  should  inquire  forthwith  for  that 
new  tint  on  Broadway,  or  Main  street,  I  will  just 
mention,  en  jyassant,  that  it  gets  its  name  from  a  certain 
Spanish  Queen,  who  vowed  to  the  Virgin  that  in  consid- 
CTation  of  some  favor  which  she  desired,  she  would  not 
change  her  linen  for  a  year.  And  she  kept  her  vow  ! 
Isabella  color  is  very  common  in  Cuba. 


FROM  HAVANA    TO  MATANZAS.  85 

There  are  two  railway  routes  from  Havana  to  Matan- 
zas.  One,  known  as  the  "  Regla  route,"  is  very  direct, 
and  measures  about  sixty  miles;  the  other  winds 
through  the  interior  of  the  island,  to  bring  out  the 
sugar  crop,  and  lengthens  the  journey  to  nearly  one 
hundred  miles.  Being  offered  my  choice,  I  designated 
the  latter,  as  it  would  give  me  a  better  oj^j^ortunity  of 
studying  the  country. 

The  cars  are  quite  homelike  in  appearance,  bearing 
the  name  of  a  well-known  Massachusetts  firm ;  but  so 
dingy,  from  long  use,  as  to  suggest  the  need  of  a  fresli 
importation.  They  difier  from  ours  only  in  having  cane 
backs  and  bottoms  to  the  seats ;  upholstery  being  almost 
unknown  in  Cuba,  as  it  is  thought  ill  suited  to  the 
climate.  They  who  know  how  long  my  existence 
vibrated  between  cushion  and  pillow,  before  I  came 
hither,  will  wonder  that  I  live  to  make  the  state- 
ment ;  and  the  recollection  of  our  luxuriously  stuffed 
furniture  is  infinitely  aggravating  to  an  invalid.  More- 
over, the  Cuban  race  lounges  so  naturally  and  persist- 
ently, I  marvel  that  it  does  not  provide  itself  with  the 
means  to  do  it  thoroughly.  The  comfort  of  a  cane- 
seated  sofa  is  not  patent,  to  me ! 

My  journey  is  a  bewildering  dream  of  beauty, — 
albeit,  with  a  touch  of  the  fable  of  Tantalus  about  it, 
inasmuch  as  I  am  borne  swiftly  past  pleasant  villas — 
trees  laden  with  tropical  fruits — flowering  vines,  climbing 
and  rioting  everywhere — lime  and  aloe  hedges — dense, 
dark  thickets  and  jungles — bright,  glancing  waters — and 
mazes  of  brilliant  blossoms,  belonging  to  an  unknown 


86  MY   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

flora, — yet  cannot  pause  to  touch,  nor  taste,  nor  even 
look,  long  enough  to  imj^rmt  anything  more  than  the 
merest  outline  sketches  on  my  memory.  The  stations, 
as  with  us,  are  always  located  in  the  most  uninteresting 
spots  ; — I  find  nothing  there  to  repay  attention,  save  a 
few  loungers  and  hucksters,  in  attendance  to  discharge 
their  respective  duties  ;  i.  e.,  stare  at  the  train  and  dis- 
pose of  their  wares. 

I  am  somewhat  surprised  to  discover  that  Cuba  is 
not  so  flat  a  country  as  its  cane-gro^dng  reputation  would 
seem  to  indicate.  To  be  sure,  the  valleys  are  quite 
level,  and  admirably  adapted  to  that  kind  of  culture ; 
but  they  lie  between  rocky  and  wooded  ridges,  and  one 
is  never  out  of  sight  of  the  graceful,  pleasing  undula- 
tions of  a  chain  of  hills ;  or  a  blue,  hazy  mountain  ])esik 
is  seen  across  a  sea  of  cane  fields,  and  satisfies  the  soul 
with  that  sentiment  of  aspiration,  that  suggestion  of 
the  infinite,  without  which  the  loveliest  landscape  soon 
becomes  monotonous. 

The  trees  are  a  continual  surprise  to  me.  The  acacia 
is  homelike  enough,  certainly,  and  I  have  become 
familiar  with  the  mimosa  in  our  own  Southern  States, — 
but  the  mcmr/o,  with  its  dark,  broad  leaves,  and  wide- 
spreading  branches — the  drooping,  rustling  coco,  laden 
with  green,  melon-like  looking  fruit — the  bamboo,  with 
its  slender,  reedy  stems,  and  graceful,  pendant  foliage — • 
the  banana,  looking  as  if  a  sugar  cane  had  suddenly 
made  up  its  mind  to  become  a  tree,  and  was  in  a  fair  way 
to  realize  its  ambition — the  ceiba,  giant  of  the  forest, 
lifting  its  magnificent,  regal  canopy  high  above  every- 


FROM  HAVANA    TO  31  ATA NZ AS.  87 

thing  near  it — the  jaguey  onarcho^  worst  of  j^arasites, 
stifling  the  largest  and  strongest  trees  in  its  cruel,  wily- 
embraces — the  homha,  bearing  aloft  a  fruit  of  the  size 
of  a  Avatermelon,  strikingly  suggestive  of  broken  heads 
to  whomsoever  may  venture  underneath, — these  soon 
exhaust  my  small  store  of  interjections  and  exclamation 
points,  and  leave  me  with  nothing  to  say  for  the  palm, 
which  follows  us  all  the  way  in  graceful  groups  and 
groves,  and  is  j)reeminently  the  tree  of  the  tropics — 
Beauty's  last  and  most  perfect  Apocalypse  ! 

Now  and  then,  across  the  dark,  green  billows  of  the 
cane-fields,  at  the  end  of  a  long,  straight  avenue  of 
palms  or  orange-trees,  we  behold  a  large,  stuccoed  man- 
sion, with  ample  provision  of  broad,  shady  piazzas  ;  near 
by  are  a  long,  flat  roof,  and  a  tall  chimney  spouting  forth 
dense  columns  of  black  smoke;  several  smaller  build- 
ings are  grouped  together  in  the  vicinity;  and  the 
whole  looks  like  a  miniature  village,  but  is  really  an 
"  ingenio^"*  or  sugar  plantation.  Anon,  we  pass  a  de- 
generate "  cafetal^^  or  coflee  estate,  which  branch  of  ag- 
riculture is  slowly  dying  out  in  the  Island.  It  looks  like 
a  pleasant  bit  of  landscape  gardening,  untimely  arrested, 
and  given  over  to  decay.  But,  .as  I  shall  have  opportu- 
nity, by  and  by,  to  examine  and'^describe  these  things  in 
detail,  I  will  not  dwell  upon  them  now. 

Farther  along,  we  discover  a  diflerent  kind  of  hab- 
itation, a  rude,  and  somewhat  dilapidated,  wooden  struc- 
ture, with  rafters  of  bamboo  covered  with  dried  palm- 
leaves,  and  surrounded  by  an  acre  or  two  of  cultivated 
ground.     In  the  doorway,  sits  a  slender,  lithe,  indolent 


88  jMY   winter  in  CUBA. 

figure,  lazily  puffing  at  a  cigar,  with  a  hound  stretched 
at  his  feet.  This  is  a  Cuban  montero^  a  man  that  in 
character  and  social  status,  much  resembles  the  "  poor 
whites"  of  our  South.  It  is  difficult  to  say  hoAV  he 
lives, — for  he  has  a  lordly  detestation  of  labor, — but  his 
wants  are  few,  the  soil  beneath  his  feet  is  of  incredible 
fertility,  the  sky  above  him  does  not  so  much  as  frown 
for  many  months  in  the  year,  and  the  climate  is  one  of 
marvellous  friendliness  and  amenity.  Bananas  and  ina- 
langas,  growing  almost  spontaneously  at  his  door,  serve 
him  in  lieu  of  bread ;  the  streams  supply  him  with  fish ; 
and  in  order  to  breed  game-cocks  for  his  amusement,  he 
must,  of  necessity,  keep  a  few  hens.  He  is  seldom,  or 
never,  too  poor  to  keep  a  horse,  nor  to  load  it  with 
queer,  cumbrous,  silver-mounted  trappings.  Astride  of 
this  animal,  which  is  at  once  beast  of  burden  and  bosom 
friend,  he  roams  about  the  country  in  most  idle,  noncha- 
lant, and  independent  fashion ;  smoking,  gambling,  and 
cock-fighting  ;  and  investing  any  chance  gains  in  lottery- 
tickets.  For  the  rest,  he  is  quick-witted  enough,  but  ut- 
terly imeducated ;  warm-hearted  and  generous,  but  quite 
capable  of  repaying  provocation  or  insult  with  several 
inches  of  the  heavy,  silver-handled  machete,  or  cutlass, 
that  hangs  by  his  side  ;  and  he  is  entirely  without  am- 
bition, for  the  despotic  Sjoanish  laws  rob  him  of  every 
incentive  to  improvement,  and  close  every  path  to  dis- 
tinction. 

At  Melena,  there  is  a  longer  detention  than  usual, 
until,  the  patience  of  the  passengers  being  all  "  un- 
wound from  the  reel,"  some  one  goes  forward  to  investi- 


FKOJr  JIAVAXA    TO  MATA^•ZAS.  89 

gate.  Then,  we  learn  that  we  have  been  the  subjects 
of  one  of  tliose  gracious  interpositions  of  Providence, 
which  awe  the  boldest  heart,  and  make  the  most  scorn- 
ful lips  tremble  for  a  moment  with  something  like  a 
j^rayer  and  a  thanksgiving.  Some  portion  of  the  engine 
suddenly  gave  way,  just  as  the  train  stopped ;  and  cer- 
tain repau's,  thereby  made  necessary,  are  the  cause  of 
our  delay.  If  the  accident  had  occurred  when  the  train 
was  in  rapid  motion,  it  is  impossible  to  say  what  damage 
and  loss  of  life  might  have  followed  !  The  intelligence 
stops,  for  a  brief  space,  even  the  incessant  motion  of 
Cuban  tongues,  there  is  a  silence  and  a  shudder,  and 
many  cross  themselves  devoutly,  and  say  aloud,  "  Gra- 
cias  a  Dios  ! "  (Thanks  be  to  God  !) 

When  we  are  again  in  motion,  night  is  closing  in ; 
behind  us  is  the  Western  rosiness,  before  us,  the  Eastei-n 
purple  gloom.  Symbolic,  it  seems  to  me,  of  the  won- 
drous change  which  has  been  wrought  in  the  world, 
since  Columbus  came  over  the  sea ; — for  the  West  is  no 
longer  the  synonyme  of  ignorance,  idolatry,  and  bar- 
barism. Thither  not  only  the  "  star  of  empire  takes  its 
way,"  but  the  brighter  luminaries  of  science,  art,  litera- 
ture ;  while  over  the  once  radiant  Orient  settle  the  dark 
shades  of  superstition,  the  dim  night  of  despotism,  the 
sombre  gloom  of  decay. 

We  reach  Matanzas  at  half  j)ast  six,  and  I  look  out 
curiously  for  a  first  sight  of  the  spot  which  is  now  to  be 
my  home ;  but  nothing  can  be  seen  distinctly  through 
the  dark  veil  of  nightfall.  On  the  platform,  Don  Ce- 
cilio,  Juan's  younger  brother,   greets  me  in  courteous 


00  3ir   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

Spanish  phrase,  telling  me  that  he  throws  himself  at  my 
feet  (though  lie  does  no  such  thing  !),  and  conducts  me 
to  the  family  carriage, — a  large  French  barouche.  On 
the  box  is  a  coachman  in  such  magnificence  of  crimson 
and  gold  livery,  and  so  pompous  of  mien,  withal,  that  I 
am  quite  awed  by  the  sight,  although  he  lifts  his  hat  on 
my  appearance,  and  punctiliously  holds  it  three  inches 
above  his  cranium,  until  I  have  taken  my  seat.  But  he 
has  the  air  of  doing  it  as  a  specimen  of  finished  deport- 
ment, and  for  artistic  effect,  rather  than  out  of  deference 
to  anybody  whomsoever.  Then  a  rapid  drive  through 
the  gas-lighted  city  shows  me  that  Matanzas  has 
many  of  the  characteristics  of  Havana ;  but  the  streets 
are  wider  and  the  general  eiFect  ligliter  and  more  airy. 
Ere  long,  the  carriage  stops  before  the  door  of  the  Sam- 
anos,  the  stately  Don  Enrique  himself  hands  me  out,  I 
am  ushered  into  a  large,  brilliantly  lighted  sala,  I  under- 
go a  confusing  number  of  ceremonious  introductions,  and 
•receive  a  corresponding  amount  of  ceremonious  Sj^anish 
welcome.  The  house  and  its  contents  are  unreservedly 
placed  at  my  disposal,  and  every  member  of  the  family 
(figuratively)  kisses  my  hand,  or  is  laid  at  my  feet.  I 
come  out  of  it  all  with  but  one  distinct  impression, — 
that  my  hostess,  Doiia  Coloma,  is  by  far  the  prettiest, 
most  graceful,  most  spirituelle  Cuhana  that  I  have  yet 
seen. 

Now  that  some  weeks  of  the  quick,  silent  weaving  of 
the  threads  of  habit  have  Avonted  me  to  the  place  and  peo- 
ple, it  is  difficult  to  recall  the  strangeness,  the  bewilder- 
ment, the  almost  forlornness,  of  that  first  evening  among 


FJiOJI  IIAV^ANA    TO  MATA.XZAS.  91 

them,  after  Juan  had  gone  forth  in  order  to  make  sure 
that  neither  counting-house  nor  fixtures  had  run  away 
during  his  absence,  and  I  was  left  to  my  own  slender  re- 
sources for  the  further  prosecution  of  the  acquaintance. 
The  Samanos  knew  no  word  of  English,  and  my  Span- 
ish, having  chiefly  been  used  for  book  intercourse  hith- 
erto, was  not  sufiiciently  at  my  tongue's  end  to  carry  me 
very  smoothly  through  a  sustained  conversation  with  a 
roomful  of  strange  people.     So,  after  the  most  easy  and 
obvious  topics  had  been  exhausted,  I  looked  at  them, 
and  they  looked  at  me !  and  if  Doiia  Coloma  had  not 
had  a  marvellous  store  of  animated  and  expressive  ges- 
tures at  command,  and  an  ease  and  grace  of  manner  al- 
together perfect,  the  situation  must  have  been  awkward. 
But  she  smiled  and  nodded,  and  asked  questions  and 
helped  me  to  answer  them,  and  improvised  small  panto- 
mimes, and  called  upon  the  children  to  show  me  their 
accomplishments ;  and  one  of  them  played,  and  another 
sang,  and  a  third  danced ;  and  thus  the  evening  wore 
on,  not  unsmoothly,  until  eleven  o'clock ;  at  which  very 
early  hour,  according  to  Cuban  standards,  I  was  allowed, 
in  consideration  of  my  travel-AVorn  condition,  to  with- 
draw to  my  own  room.    If  some  shade  of  home-sickness 
met  me  there  with  the  insidious  question  whether,  after 
all,  it  was  worth  while  to  have  come  over  the  sea  for 
three  or  four  months  of  this  sort  of  thing,  it  shall  not 
darken  these  pages.     For  the  morning  light  dispelled  it 
with  other  shadows  ;  and  in  that  shape,  it  visited  me  no 
more. 


CHAPTER  XL 

EVERY     MORNING. 

OCAKCE  a  fortnight  had  elapsed,  ere  I  felt  myself 
thoroughly  at  home  under  the  Samano  roof,  and 
life  had  settled  to  a  regular  and  familiar  flow.  Pos- 
sibly there  are  those  who  would  like  to  look  closely 
into  its  quiet  current,  to  know  what  the  home-life  of 
Cuba  really  is,  what  its  occupations,  its  anxieties,  its 
pleasures,  its  vexations,  its  courtesies.  For  such,  I  give, 
in  til  is  and  the  two  following  chapters,  the  history  of  a 
day — of  any  and  every  day ;  for,  with  few  exceptions, 
the  faces  of  all  are  so  much  alike  that  it  is  hard  to  dis- 
cover any  distinguishing  trait. 

Scene  opens  about  eight  o'clock,  A.M.,  in  my  room. 
As  the  occupant  thereof  is  buried  in  a  profound  slumber, 
or  steeped  in  the  delightful  languor  of  the  very  last 
morning  nap,  you  will  have  time  to  examine  the  apart- 
ment and  its  furnishings,  before  the  dramatis  ^^e^'sonoi 
aj^pear  upon  the  stage.  It  is  long  and  narrow  in  shape, 
and  not  less  than  twenty  feet  in  height ;  the  open  roof 
showing  plainly  all  the  beams  and  rafters  used  in  its 
construction.  The  floor  is  of  quaint  red  and  brown 
tiles,  and  there  is  a  Turkey  rug  before  the  bed,  put  there 
since  my  advent,  with  some  kindly  intention,  doubtless. 


EVERY  MO II NINO.  93 

of  an  approximation  to  my  former  habits  of  life ;  but  I 
daily  wish  it  were  back  where  it  came  from,  the  reason 
of  w^iich  ungracious  and  ungrateful  sentiment  will  ap- 
pear hereafter.  The  furniture  looks  meagre  to  an  Amer- 
ican eye,  and  lacks  many  things  deemed  essential  to 
comfort  in  homes  now  distant  (geographically — but  very 
present  to  my  inner  vision !) ;  yet  it  is  fully  up  to  the 
Cuban  standard,  and  comprises  all  that  is  necessary  to 
tropical  life  ;  where  nature  does  so  much  for  one's  com- 
fort and  pleasure  that  the  shortcomings  of  art  are  easily 
forgiven.  By  way  of  compensation,  there  is  a  super- 
abundance of  mere  adornment, — the  hangings,  counter- 
pane, sheets,  pillow-covers,  valance,  and  even  the  towels! 
being  all  elaborately  trimmed  with  broad  edgings  and 
insertions  of  lace,  of  Catalonian  manufacture,  and  often 
of  fine  quality.  In  this  department,  also,  may  be  noticed 
a  dingy  figure  of  the  Virgin,  of  such  extremely  unlovely, 
and  forbidding  an  aspect  that  the  label  underaeath — 
"Madonna  de  la  Misei'icordia" — seems  absm-dly  mis- 
placed. 

At  the  east  end  of  the  room,  facing  the  street,  is  a 
large  window,  of  the  usual  quaint  and  clumsy  con- 
struction of  all  Cuban  wood-work.  It  opens  on  a  sort 
of  balcony,  full  fifteen  feet  wide,  running  across  the 
front  of  the  house,  and  overlooking  market-place  and 
bay.  One  end  of  this  balcony  is  occupied  by  an  aviary, 
densely  populated  'with  South  American  birds  of  bril- 
liant 2)lnmage,  whose  w^ild,  piercing  notes  are  among  the 
first  sounds  that  greet  me  in  the  morning. 

But  the  door  opens.     Enter  Francisca,  a  young  girl 


94  3rr   WTN'i'E'K  TX  CUBA. 

recently  imported  from  the  Canary  Islands,  and  the  only 
white  servant  in  the  house — white,  by  courtesy,  mark 
you,  for  there  are  really  only  degrees  of  dark  in  Cuba. 
This  child  of  nature  has  a  queenly  figure,  a  majestic 
carriage,  a  bright  face,  and  a  voice  as  sweet  as  the  birds 
of  her  native  isle.  Her  morning  greeting,  considered  as 
speech,  is  slovenly  enough,  being  exceeding  provincial; 
but  regarded  as  sound,  it  is  fresh  and  clear  as  a  song. 
She  brings  me  a  cup  of  fragrant  coffee,  with  milk  and 
sugar,  imparts  such  items  of  domestic  news  as  are 
already  current,  and  vanishes.  The  coffee  having  been 
sipped  slowly,  as  becomes  its  quality,  I  rise  and  betake 
myself  to  the  chase — a  regular  morning  pastime.  Armed 
with  a  pin  and  a  piece  of  thin  muslin  lightly  wrung  out 
in  water,  I  proceed  to  turn  over  and  examine  carefully, 
one  by  one,  all  the  garments  which  I  removed  the  night 
previous ;  hidden  in  the  folds  of  which,  hosts  of  blood- 
thirsty cannibals — known  to  the  scientific  world  as  Pidex 
irritans^  and  vulgarly  denominated  fleas — are  waiting, 
with  exemplary  patience,  to  be  put  on  again  this  morning, 
and  renew  their  banquet  on  human  flesh.  At  the  faint- 
est glimpse  of  a  black  speck,  down  goes  the  cloth  with 
a  vengeful  slap;  which,  being  wet,  embarrasses  the 
motions  of  the  insect,  and,  being  thin,  permits  me  to  see 
its  form  distinctly  enough  to  run  it  through  with  the  pin, 
which  I  do,  "  with  a  Avill."  But  I  have  learned  not  to 
rely  too  confidently  on  its  decease,  even  after  this  opera- 
tion ;  having  had  the, mortification,  on  several  occasions, 
to  see  my  captive,  on  the  removal  of  cloth  and  pin,  hop 
off  as  gayly  as  if  nothing  had  happened  to  it.     In  this 


EVERY  3I0RNING,  95 

event,  I  pursue  it  through  gnrmeuts  and  across  tiles; 
and  here  appears  the  great  inconvenience  of  the  afore- 
mentioned rug,  which  is  as  discomfiting  as  a  morass  or 
a  furze-field  to  a  sportsman.  If  the  flea  strikes  tliat,  the 
chase  is  up,' and  the  course  of  justice  thwarted.  I  have 
grown  learned  in  flea-lore,  through  this  "  sharp  prac- 
tice ;"  I  think  I  could  write  a  biography  of  one  of  the 
race,  with  great  minuteness  of  detail  and  accuracy  of 
facts. 

The  operations  of  the  toilet  are  sometimes  still 
further  retarded  by  the  necessity  of  rubbing  the  starch 
out  of  any  articles  needed  from  the  last  week's  wash.  I 
have  not  yet  succeeded  in  convincing  Paula,  the 
laundress,  that  when  I  say,  "  Ko  starch,"  I  mean  pre- 
cisely that,  and  am  prepared  for  no  compromise  what- 
soever. The  Cuban  practice  is  to  starch  all  garments, 
without  exception,  to  the  utmost  degree  of  stiffness. 
How  they  manage  to  wear  them,  I  cannot  imagine.  The 
sensations  of  a  foreigner  are  best  described  by  a  certain 
Herr  Wagner  that  I  met  in  Havana.  "The  first  time 
that  I  sat  down  in  a  clean  shirt  from  a  Cuban  laundry," 
said  he,  "  I  thought  I  must  have  landed  on  a  pile  of 
broken  crockery.  And  when  it  became  necessary  to  put 
on  a  Cubanized  night-shirt,  I  sat  up  till  two  o'clock 
in  the  iporning  trying  to  rub  the  scratch  and  the  crackle 
out  of  it.  As  for  pocket-handkerchiefs,  you  might  as 
well  use  sand-paper  !  " 

Being  dressed,  I  step  out  on  the  balcony,  where  I 
pray  you  to  join  me,  for  much  may  be  seen  from  thence 
which  is  novel  and  interesting  to  unwonted  eyes.     Lean- 


96  Mr  WINTER  IjY  cub  J, 

ing  over  the  parapet, — wliich  is  thick  enough  to  stand  a 
siege,  and  dates  back  to  the  last  century, — you  will  see 
that  the  house  fronts  on  a  large  open  space,  in  the  angle 
formed  by  the  Bay  of  Matanzas,  and  the  Kiver  San 
Juan.  Over  the  way  is  a  row  of  volantes,  waiting  to  be 
liired  ;  in  the  middle  is  a  string  of  packed  mules,  paus- 
ing to  rest ;  nearer,  a  half  dozen  drays,  piled  with  jerked 
beef  from  Buenos  Ayres,  or  tobacco  from  the  famous 
"  Vuelta  Abajo,"  or  wine  and  oil  from  Spain,  are  waiting 
to  discharge  their  loads  in  the  warehouses  of  "  G.  and 
Co."  Farther  along  are  an  ox-cart  and  team  ;  the  yoke 
is  a  clumsy  wooden  bar,  laid  on  the  animal's  head,  and 
tied  to  his  horns  by  stout  ropes  ;  the  draft  comes,  there- 
fore, on  the  creature's  horns  and  head,  rather  than  on 
his  shoulders ;  and  he  is  guided  by  means  of  a  long 
leathern  thong,  fastened  into  his  nostrils.  Soldiers, 
sailors,  paisanos^  coolies,  and  negroes,  are  continually 
passing,  furnishing  a  gay  and  animated  panorama  for  all 
eyes  that  gaze.  Street-venders  are  plenty  and  pictur- 
esque. Yonder  is  a  Chinese  crockery  j)eddler.  His 
stock  in  trade  is  contained  in  two  large  round  baskets, 
suspended  from  a  kind  of  bamboo  yoke  on  his  shoulders. 
He  calls  attention  to  his  wares,  not  by  a  cry,  but  by 
tossing  in  the  air  a  half-dozen  plates  or  saucers,  and,  by 
the  sleight  of  hand  peculiar  to  his  race,  causing  them  to 
fall  one  upon  another  as  he  catches  them,  with  a  sharp 
clash  and  clatter  that  is  heard  above  everything  else, 
^ext  comes  a  seller  of  dulces^ — a  neat-looking  mulatto 
girl  or  negress,  with  a  basket  on  her  head  and  a  tray  in 
her  hand,  both  filled  with  divers  kinds  of  sweetmeats, 


EVERT  3I0RNING.  97 

suited  to  the  popular  taste ;  by  the  preparation  and  sale 
of  which  many  decayed  families  support  themselves, 
sending  their  only  remaining  servant  into  the  street  to 
dispose  of  them.  After  her  comes  a  jyanadero^  with  a 
huge,  flat,  "covered  basket  on  his  head,  and  two  or  three 
palm-leaf  bags  hanging  on  each  arm.  These  are  all  filled 
with  bread,  in  the  form  of  rolls,  of  excellent  quality ; 
which  he  is  distributing  to  his  regular  customers.  There 
is  no  such  thing  as  home-made  bread  in  Cuba:  the 
bakers  furnish  an  unobjectionable  article,  and  deliver  it 
fresh  at  the  door  every  day.  On  the  plantations,  it  is 
obtained  from  the  nearest  towns  or  railway  stations. 
Next,  you  see  an  odd  figure  of  a  poultry  dealer,  from 
the  country.  He  wears  a  hat  like  a  small  umbrella ;  his 
shirt  is  of  striped  linen,  and  very  likely,  hangs  outside 
of  his  pants ;  he  is  perched  on  top  of  a  large  saddle 
and  a  small  donkey,  and  flanked  by  two  great  panniers, 
out  of  which  stick  the  heads  of  three  or  four  dozen  of 
live  chickens.  Yonder  is  a  negress  crying  "  N^aranjas  ! 
naraoijas^  dulces ! "  (sweet  oranges)  ;  and  another  has  a 
basket  of  fresh  cocoa-nuts  on  her  head.  This  latter  fruit 
is  always  eaten  here  while  the  rind  is  yet  green,  and  the 
pulp  soft  enough  to  allow  of  its  being  stirred  up  with 
the  milk,  and  eaten  with  a  spoon.  It  is  said  to  be  more 
wholesome  thus,  than  in  the  shrunken  and  dried  form  in 
which  it  comes  to  us. 

One  of  the  saddest  of  the  street-sights  is  the  chain- 
gang,   on   its   way   to   the   government  works   on   the 
quays, — a  long  line  of  vicious  or  stolid  faces,  marching 
to  the  clank  of  the  fetters  which  link  them  together  in 
5 


98  3ir  WINTER  m  CUBA. 

forced  and  fearful  companionship :  one  of  the  funniest 
is  a  patient  little  donkey,  so  thoroughly  packed  with 
green  corn,  fresh  cut  for  feed,  that  you  see  nothing  but 
a  moving  mass  of  verdure,  reminding  you  of  the 
"  marching  wood  of  Dunsinane ;"  unless  the  animal  is 
coming  directly  toward  you,  when  you  see  his  poor  nose 
in  the  midst  of  a  circle  of  dainty  green,  just  out  of  his 
reach;  and  he  might  fitly  parody  the  lament  of  the 
"  Ancient  mariner  "  something  in  this  wise : — 

"  Fodder— fodder  everywhere 
And  not  a  Ut  to  eat." 

If  you  go  to  the  farther  end  of  the  balcony,  and 
look  into  the  "  Calle  O'Heilly,"  you  may  see  a  small 
herd  of  cows  standing  at  the  side-entrance,  and  chewing 
the  cud,  while  the  driver  milks  one  of  their  number. 
The  first  time  I  witnessed  this,  I  inquired  of  my  host  if 
he  kept  cows.  "  No,"  he  replied,  "  it  is  only  the  milk- 
man." I  stared,  and  he  explained  that  it  is  the  custom, 
in  Cuba,  for  venders  of  milk  to  drive  their  cows  to  the 
doors  of  their  customers,  and  milk  the  quantity  required, 
on  the  spot.  I  commend  the  practice  to  my  own 
countrymen,  nauseated  with  a  deluge  of  stale  or  adulter- 
ated milk. 

At  first,  I  found  an  infinite  deal  of  amusement  in 
■  this  motley  show,  but  already  the  charm  of  novelty  is 
worn  awaj^,  the  quaint,  graceful,  or  picturesque  lines 
smoothed  to  the  tameness  and  soberness  of  every-day 
life.  But  beyond  it  lies  a  view,  of  which  one  tires  not 
so  easily — the  beautiful  bay,  with  waters  now  blue,  now 


EVERY  MORNING.  '  99 

green — now  heaving  softly  as  the  bosom  of  a  sleeping 
maiden,  now  lashed  by  the  north-wind  into  white,  dash- 
ing crests  of  foam — now  turned  to  molten  gold  by  the 
sunshine,  now  lined  with  a  silvery  moonlight  j^ath 
that  seems  ready  to  take  one  to  far-off,  fabled  islas 
encantadas — always  full  of  ships  lying  at  anchor, — with 
flags  and  streamers  of  every  nation  and  hue,  and  gayly 
painted  sail-boats  and  lighters,  and  steamers  plying  in 
and  out ; — a  scene  of  brilliant  and  changeful  hues,  ever 
new  and  ever  beautiful.  Nor  is  this  all.  The  bay  is 
almost  landlocked,  and  on  either  side  stretch  away 
green  hills,  crowned  with  white  villas  and  gardens  ;  and 
into  the  dreamy  distance  drift  groups  of  palms,  and 
stand  clear  drawn  against  the  morning's  blue  or  the 
evening's  pink  and  gold.  Farthest  of  all — now  veiled 
in  mist,  noAV  clearly  lit  by  the  daybeams,  now  crimsoned 
and  purpled  with  sunset  lights  and  shadows — is  the  San 
Juan  mountain,  where  my  eyes  rest  last  and  longest 
as  the  most  eligible  point  in  the  landscape  whereon 
Thought  can  stand  a-tiptoe,  and  strain  her  eyes  over  the 
blue  ocean  for  just  a  faint  glimpse  of  the  dear  IN'ew 
England  hills,  which  are  fairer  now  than  ever  before,  as 
seen  through  the  golden  medium  of  a  "  light  that  was 
never  on  sea  nor  land !  "  It  is  good  to  sojourn,  for  a 
time,  in  a  foreign  country, — not  only  on  account  of  the 
fresh  sensations,  the  enlarged  experience,  the  new  veins 
of  thought,  which  it  opens  to  one,  but  to  learn  how 
much  of  life's  sweetness  is  compressed  into  that  little 
word  "home."  Cares  and  trials,  it  is  true,  enter  its 
charmed  circle ;  so  tj^e  rose  has  many  thorns,  yet  is 
accounted  fairest  of  all  the  flowers ! 


100  J/r  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

At  ten  o'clock,  the  gentlemen  come  in.  They  rose 
early ;  they  partook  of  a  cup  of  coffee  and  a  thin  cake 
or  cracker,  and  went  forth  to  the  quays,  the  custom- 
house, the  ware-rooms,  the  banks;  for  all  out-door 
business  is  done,  if  possible,  before  breakfast,  ere  the 
day  has  reached  its  melting-mood. 

Breakfast  is  now  served.  It  is  decidedly  d  la 
fourchette.  It  might  answer  for  dinner  as  well,  by 
reason  of  the  variety  and  substantial  nature  of  its  dishes, 
except  that  it  lacks  soup  and  dessert.  The  first  course 
is  always  fried  eggs  and  boiled  rice.  This  seems  to  be 
derigueur;  after  that,  you  may  eat  what  you  please  and 
in  your  own  order.  Doubtless,  there  is  a  beefsteak  pie, 
mysteriously  flavored;  and  there  is  certain  to  be  a 
tortilla  con  seso,  or  brain-omelette.  Chops  are  plastered 
with  a  mixture  of  eggs,  herbs  and  olives,  wrapped  in 
paper,  fried,  and  served  with  the  wrappers  still  on. 
The  stranger  is  often  deceived  by  dishes  which  keep  the 
look  of  old  acquaintance  to  the  eye,  but  break  it  to  the 
taste.  I  was  served,  one  morning,  with  what  I  took  for 
codfish  cakes,  but  which  turned  out  to  be  a  wonderful 
compound  of  chopped  meat,  raisins,  tomatoes,  eggs, 
onions,  mashed  potatoes,  and  I  know  not  what  beside ! 
I  was  unable  to  tell,  after  I  had  partaken  of  it,  whether 
I  liked  it  or  no,  and  my  mind  is  not  more  clear  about  it 
at  this  moment !  Fish  are  abundant  and  various.  One 
kind  enchants  our  eyes  with  all  the  colors  of  the  rain- 
bow, the  process  of  cooking  not  having  in  the  least 
impaired  the  brilliancy  of  its  prismatic  adornments ; 
another  is  so  minute  that  you  wonder  that  people  take 


EVERT  MORNING.  101 

the  trouble  to  catch  and  cook  it,  nor  is  the  problem 
solved  after  you  have  eaten  four  or  five  at  a  mouthful. 

There  is  a  decanter  of  wine  and  another  of  water, 
and  a  mixture  of  both  is  used.  The  glasses  are  a  cross 
between  tumblers  and  goblets,  and  are  always  placed 
on  the  table  in  finger-bowls,  and  remain  there  through- 
out the  meal.     Cofiee  is  served  at  the  end. 

The  dining-room  must  needs  be  airy,  for  it  is  entirely 
open,  on  one  side,  to  the  sky  and  the  court.  There  are 
jalousies,  to  be  sure,  but  I  never  saw  them  closed.  In 
one  corner  is  a  piece  of  mahogany  furniture,  in  appear- 
ance half-safe  and  half-sideboard.  Lifting  the  lid,  a 
large  hemispherical  stone  basin  filled  with  water  is 
disclosed,  the  bottom  of  which  is  pierced  with  a  single 
minute  hole.  Opened  in  front,  it  reveals  a  stout  stone 
jar,  into  which  the  water  from  the  basin  above  trickles 
slowly,  drop  by  drop;  also  two  or  three  fancy  jars, 
with  handles,  for  drinking  purposes.  "Water  thus 
filtered,  is  pure  and  palatable,  and  tolerably  cool.  The 
filterer  is  called  an  estelladora,  and  a  duplicate  thereof 
may  be  found  in  nearly  every  house  on  the  island. 

For  the  rest,  the  breakfast  is  merry  and  social,  and 
bright  with  the  faces  of  children.  The  Samanos  all 
belong  to  the  order  of  "  born  teases,"  and  long  practice 
has  given  them  wonderful  skill  in  the  art  of  provocation, 
so  that  la  senora  leads  rather  a  thorny  life  of  it  among 
them.  They  are  Spaniards,  and  she  a  Cuban ;  therefore, 
she  is  kept  under  a  continual  fire  of  jests  and  sarcasms, 
touching  the  language,  customs,  and  character  of  her 
beloved  compatriots.     It  is  amusing  to  watch  the  little 


102  Mr  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

lady  under  this  treatment ;  at  first  she  assumes  an  indif- 
ferent and  supercilious  style  of  demeanor,  determined 
not  to  be  teased;  then  she  shrugs  her  shoulders,  and 
gives  an  expressive  little  gesture,  as  if  she  were  shaking 
off  a  shower  of  paper  pellets ;  next  her  face  begins  to 
darken,  and  her  eyes  to  expand,  and  finally,  the  bucket 
of  her  forbearance  being  overflowed  by  some  particularly 
tantalizing  "  last  drop,"  a  flash  of  forked  lightning 
darts  from  her  black  eyes,  the  words  burst  forth  in  a 
torrent,  and  indignant  remonstrance,  energetic  retort, 
and  expressive  pantomime,  are  all  marshalled  into  array 
to  confront  and  confound  her  foes.  I  think  she  would 
have  the  best  of  it,  if  they  were  not  so  many ;  but  three 
against  one,  each  with  a  characteristic  and  skilful  mode 
of  handling  his  weapons,  is  rather  unequal  odds.  So 
the  warfare  goes  on,  until  one  after  another  of  the 
assailants  falls  into  paroxysms  of  uncontrollable  laugh- 
ter,— the  Seiiora  stops  in  the  middle  of  a  sentence,  and 
laughs  too,  and  the  skirmish  is  ended. 


CHAPTER  Xn. 

DURING     THE     DAT. 

"OKEAKFAST  over,  the  working  day  begins.  The 
Cuban  ladies,  having  far  less  pretension  to  the 
name  of  "  lilies  "  than  their  northern  sisters,  do  likewise 
toil  and  spin, — using  these  words  to  describe  all  sorts  of 
plain  and  fancy  sewing,  and  especially,  for  an  intermin- 
able process  of  pulling  half  the  threads  out  of  a  piece 
of  linen,  and  working  over  the  remainder  with  an  elabo- 
rate pattern  of  leaves  and  flowers  ;  which  seems  to  be 
the  very  ne  ])lus  ultra  of  needle  accomplishments, — be- 
ing taught  in  all  the  schools.  So,  unless  I  have  letters 
to  write,  I  join  my  hostess  in  her  own  or  the  adjoining 
room ;  and  we  sew  and  chat  together,  the  stream  of  our 
conversation  being  subject  to  many  interruptions  from 
children  and  servants.  Exactly  how  many  of  the  latter 
there  are  I  have  not  yet  learned,  as  new  faces  are  contin- 
ually meeting  me  in  out-of-the-way  corners ;  but  they 
are  ugly,  ignorant,  good-natured,  noisy,  chattering  crea- 
tures, with  not  even  a  "gloamin'  sight"  (as  Andrew 
Fairservice  would  say)  of  the  fact  that  there  is  a  time 
to  keep  silence  as  Avell  as  a  time  to  speak.  They  are 
continually  dawdling  about,  in  grotesque  attitudes  and 
absurd  attire,  producing  many  quaint  pictorial  effects ; 


104  3ir   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

and  affording  much  amusement  to  visitors,  and  a  corres- 
ponding amount  of  vexation  and  care  to  their  employ- 
ers. One  of  them,  Juana  by  name,  and  belonging  to 
the  African  tribe  of  the  Lucumis,  is  a  continual  study 
to  me ;  I  am  so  sorely  puzzled  to  decide  exactly  what 
nice  degree  of  upward  or  downward  gradation  would 
place  her  on  a  level  with  the  baboon.  When  not  at 
work,  she  is  usually  found  crouched  in  a  corner  making 
mouths  at  the  wall,  or  grinning  at  her  own  huge,  ill- 
shapen  shoulder,  which  she  has  an  apish  way  of  slowly 
lifting  out  of  her  loose-fitting  frock,  following  it  closely 
with  her  eyes  until  it  is  on  a  level  with  her  ear,  and  then 
letting  it  fall  with  a  grunt,  which  performance  often  oc- 
cupies her  pleasantly  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  at  a  time. 
If  called,  she  answers  in  the  harshest,  most  guttural, 
most  unintelligible  jargon  conceivable,  resembling  more 
the  cry  of  a  bird  of  prey  than  the  human  voice. 

The  cook  is  a  Chinese,  formerly  one  of  the  class 
known  as  Coolies  y  whose  sombre,  discontented,  mutin- 
ous faces  meet  one  at  every  turn  in  the  island,  and  stir 
the  heart  with  indefinable  pain  and  pity.  Ricardo,  how- 
ever, seems  happy  enough  when  he  is  in  a  good  humor ; 
he  served  out  his  term  of  bondage  years  ago,  and  is  now 
his  own  master,  or,  at  least,  may  choose  the  whereabout 
and  mode  of  his  service.  He  fills  other  and  more  im- 
portant posts  tlian  his  nominal  one  ;  in  reality  he  is 
steward,  butler,  and  housekeeper.  The  kitchen  commu- 
nicates with  the  dining-room  by  a  long  staircase  from 
the  court,  up  and  down  which  he  travels  fifty  times  a 
day,  in  the  regular  discharge  of  his  duties,  but  goes  into 


DURING    THE  DAY.  105 

a  tearing  passion  if,  by  any  chance  or  mischance,  the 
number  is  increased  to  fifty-one.     And  the  rage  of  a 
Chinaman,  be  it  understood,  is  unmatched  for  fire  and  in- 
tensity. "  The  other  servants,  who  quarrel  among  them- 
selves all  day  long' by  way  of  pleasant  pastime,  fly  be- 
fore him,  or  huddle  together  like  a  flock  of  frightened 
sheep ;  while  he  hurls  among  them  threats  and  anathe- 
mas, like  a  shower  of  bombs,  and  apparently  doing  as 
good  execution.     If  the  uproar  penetrates  to  the  sala, 
or  there  seems  to  be  danger  that  he  may  resort  to  other 
and  more  dangerous  missiles,  Ricardo  is  summoned  before 
his  mistress.     In  the  attitude  of  a  stage-hero,  he  listens 
to  an  eloquent  compound  of  reprimand,  remonstrance, 
entreaty,  and  gesticulation  ;  and  departs  humbled.     If 
all  else  fails,  a  threat  of  dismissal  immediately  reduces 
him  to  order.     It  would  break  his  heart  to  leave  the 
family,— especially  the  children,  all  of  whom  have  been 
born  during  his  administration.     Two  or  three  years 
ago  he  was  suddenly  taken  with  a  fit  of  discontent  and 
would-be  independence,  and  conducted  himself  in  such 
a  manner  that,  one  morning,  his  wages  were  quietly 
paid  him  and  he  was  told  to  go  in  peace.     There  was  a 
mournful  leave-taking  of  the  little  ones,  a  silent  packing- 
up,  and  a  moody  departure.    The  day  wore  slowly  away. 
At  dusk.  Dona  Coloma  was  desired  to  look  into  the 
court.     She  beheld  an  affecting  picture— in  water  colors. 
The  central  figure  was  Ricardo,  on  his  knees  and  dis- 
solved in  tears.     Around  him  hung  the  children,  also 
dissolved  in  tears.      The  negro  servants  filled  up  the 
background,  likewise  dissolved  in  tears.     To  avert  an- 
5* 


106  3ir  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

Other  deluge,  she  bade  him  return  to  his  old  quarters, 
duties,  and  behavior ;  which  he  did  forthwith,  greatly  to 
the  satisfaction  of  all  parties.  Doubtless,  he  is  a  fixture 
for  life. 

One  of  my  chief  amusements  is  to  lean  over  the  gal- 
lery looking  into  the  court,  and  watch  Kicardo's  prepa- 
rations for  dinner.  His  method  is  certainly  original. 
Just  outside  the  kitchen  is  a  long  table  for  his  conven- 
ience, over  which  hangs  a  double  row  of  hats,  of  every 
shape,  size,  and  hue, — straw  hats,  felt  hats,  silk  hats, 
sailors'  hats,  farmers'  hats,  gentlemen's  hats,  ragged 
hats,  brimless  hats,  crownless  hats,  black,  white,  and 
gray  hats,  —  gotten,  heaven  only  knows  where,  but 
enough !  in  number  and  variety,  to  stock  a  second-hand 
hat  shop.  Out  from  the  little  recess  of  a  kitchen,  red 
wnth  the  glow  of  a  large  furnace,  rushes  the  Chinaman, 
hair  flying  and  frying-pan  in  hand — slaps  hat  the  first 
on  his  head  with  so  furious  a  blow  that  it  is  a  miracle 
he  does  not  knock  himself  flat — dashes  frying-pan  on 
the  table,  and  sprinkles  the  contents  with  salt — flies 
back  to  the  fire,  and  gives  a  kettle  a  stir  and  a  shake — 
darts  out,  seizes  frying-pan  with  a  flourish,  and  flings 
hat  to  the  farthest  corner  of  the  court — dashes  frying- 
pan  on  the  fire,  and  stirs  energetically  for  a  moment — 
makes  a  dart  at  another  hat,  and  puts  it  on — snatches  a 
plate  from  a  cupboard,  and  hurls  it  on  the  table  care- 
full]// — reproduces  frying-pan,  and  inverts  it  over 
plate — raises  the  dish  to  a  level  with  his  eyes,  and 
surveys  it  critically — shakes  his  head  disapprovingly, 
and  sends  hat  the  second  spinning  in  the  all* — returns 


DURING    THE  DAY.  107 

the  meat  to  the  frying-pan  and  the  pan  to  the  fire, 
crowns  himself  majestically  with  hat  the  third,  folds  his 
arms  and  falls  into  a  fit  of  abstraction — rouses  him- 
self, produces  a  bake-pan,  marches  gravely  into  the 
middle  of  the  court  with  it,  examines  the  contents 
minutely,  cuts  a  pigeon-wing  of  rapturous  delight,  and 
hurls  his  third  piece  of  head-gear  straight  upward, 
which  lodges  on  the  roof — covers  bake-pan,  and  dons  hat 
the  fourth — dives  into  depths  of  kitchen  and  reappears 
with  a  stew-pan  containing  vegetables — drains  oiF  the 
water  on  the  pavement,  hurls  hat  the  fourth  into  the 
slop-barrel,  and  crowns  himself  with  the  next  in  order 
of  succession — transfers  vegetables  to  a  dish — suddenly 
becomes  conscious  that  he  has  transgressed  a  strict 
rule  that  no  slops  shall  be  emptied  in  the  court,  and 
makes  a  frantic  rush  at  a  towel — rapidly  wipes  up  the 
steaming  liquid,  puts  towel  into  his  pocket,  and  springs 
up  three  feet  with  a  yell — hastily  pulls  it  out,  and  throws 
it,  in  company  with  hat  the  fifth,  at  the  furnace,  in  a 
vein  of  severe  irony, — ^brings  out  a  soup-kettle,  sets  it 
down  in  the  court,  stirs  it,  tastes  it,  walks  around  it, 
shakes  his  head  at  it — flings  hat  the  sixth  at  his  head 
with  extraordinary  accuracy  of  aim — adds  divers  condi- 
ments to  the  soup  and  bears  it  to  the  fire — takes  off  his 
hat,  looks  into  it  solemnly  for  some  minutes — appears  to 
find  what  he  seeks,  for  he  puts  it  on  again,  and  immedi- 
ately pours  the  soup  into  the  tureen — dishes  up  some 
vegetables — takes  tureen  in  both  hands  and  commences 
mounting  staircase  to  dining-room — becomes  suddenly 
aware  that  he  is  still  covered  with  hat  the  sixth,  and, 


108  3/r  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

with  a  shake  and  a  toss  of  the  head,  sends  it  rolling 
down  the  ste^^s — places  tureen  on  the  table,  and  goes 
back  for  the  other  dishes — shouts  for  Francisca  to  come 
and  help  him,  and  shies  hat  the  seventh  at  her  as  she 
descends  the  stairs ;  which  performance  goes  on,  with 
slight  variations,  until  his  whole  assortment  of  head  gear 
is  strewn  about  court  and  gallery  in  curious  confusion. 
Juan  asserts  that  if  he  were  deprived  of  his  hats  he 
could  never  serve  the  dinner  creditably,  and  I  am  in- 
clined to  receive  the  statement  in  perfect  faith. 

At  one  o'clock,  p.m.,  a  certain  dusky  incarnation  of 
probity,  Atanasia  by  name  (who  may  not  only  be 
trusted  with  untold  gold,  but  will  stand  the  severer  test 
of  being  left  in  charge  of  unnoticed  and  nearly  value- 
less trifles),  gives  a  smarter  set  to  her  turban,  shuffles 
out,  and  presently  returns  with  a  basket  on  her  head, 
filled  with  fresh,  yellow  oranges,  or  ruddy  bananas,  and 
topped  by  panales.  These  last  are  a  confection  of  eggs 
and  sugar,  made  into  white,  frothy-looking  bars,  six  or 
seven  inches  long,  and  designed  to  be  dissolved  in 
water,  with  a  few  drops  of  oil  of  annis,  or  the  half  of  a 
lemon,  which  mixture  makes  an  agreeable  and  nutritious 
beverage.  Francisca  peels  the  oranges  as  we  do  apples, 
sticks  a  bar  of  the  lyanal  in  a  goblet  of  water,  and  brings 
all  to  me,  where  I  sit.  This  is  our  usual  lunch,  with 
only  some  slight  variation  in  the  article  of  fruit.  The 
cashew,  mamey,  paw-paw,  melado,  citron-melon,  guava, 
etc.,  offer  us,  now  and  then,  a  choice  between  acidity 
and  insipidity;  but  none  of  them  can  institute  any 
successful  rivalry  with  the  sweetness  and  richness  of  the 


DURING    THE  DAY.  109 

orange  and  banana.  The  guava,  though  so  great  a 
favorite  when  made  mto  jellies  and  marmalades,  has,  in 
its  natural  state,  an  intense  flavor  of  rottenness,  which 
nothing  short  of  a  long  course  of  persevering  and  deter- 
mined effort,  can  bring  a  stranger  to  regard  with  aught 
but  the  extremity  of  disgust. 

The  afternoon  is  so  like  the  morning  that  you  would 
be  puzzled  to  distinguish  one  from  the  other,  except  for 
a  slight  increase  of  temperature,  and  a  dimmer  dreami- 
ness in  the  mood  of  the  air.  The  servants  dawdle  over 
their  avocations  more  sleepily  than  ever,  rousing  them- 
selves occasionally  with  a  little  quarrel ;  and  it  is 
amusing  to  see  how  stately  and  courteous  they  become 
at  such  time,  hurling  "  Seiloi^ "  and  "  Senora  "  at  each 
other,  as  if  these  titles  were  a  new  and  efficient  sort  of 
missile.  Dona  Coloma  has  finished  one  piece  of  Avork, 
and  taken  another  in  hand,  which  she  executes  over  a 
long  heavy  cushion,  held  across  her  knees ;  bending 
over  it  with  an  industry  and  pertinacity  wearisome  to 
witness.  "What  prevents  her  and  her  sister  Cubans  from 
stiffening  into  the  shape  of  the  letter  Z,  and  growing  to 
their  chairs !  By  way  of  killing  time,  I  inquire  what 
she  is  making.  "A  towel,  for  a  birthday  gift  to  a 
friend."  Said  towel  being  a  strip  of  fine  linen,  about 
two  yards  long,  across  each  end  of  which  she  is  embroid- 
ering, by  the  pulling-out-of-threads  process,  a  border  six 
inches  wide ;  and  which  is  further  to  be  adorned  with 
rows  of  lace.  When  finished,  it  will  be  hung,  scai*f- 
wise,  across  an  ornamental  knob,  with  which  every 
Cuban  bedroom   is  furnished.     Regarded  as   an    oma- 


110  3fY   WINTER   IX  CUBA. 

ment,  il  is  an  extremely  pretty  thing  ;  but  I  recommend 
all  persons  given  to  much  bathing,  to  provide  themselves 
with  a  dozen  thick,  durable  towels,  before  they  accept  of 
the  hospitality  of  a  Cuban  roof;  for  nothing  will  there 
be  furnished  them  for  their  abstersions,  beside  the  above- 
described  dainty,  elaborate,  altogether  admirable,  but 
highly  unserviceable  "  toalla.'''' 

Doiia  Mariquilla  (a  guest  like  myself)  is  busy  with  a 
sort  of  scarf,  composed  of  alternate  strips  of  muslin  and 
embroidery,  and  edged  with  a  frilling  of  rich  lace. 
Pursuing  my  investigations  in  her  direction,  I  am  told 
that  it  is  a  "  sudario^  for  (as  I  understand  it)  U7i  senor  /^^ 
i.  e.,  a  gentleman.  Whereupon  I  commune  with  myself, 
for  a  season,  after  this  fashion.  "  Sudario — I  Avonder 
what  that  means  !  Obviously,  from  the  Latin  sudarium^ 
which  signifies,  primarily,  a  cloth  for  removing  perspi- 
ration, and  secondarily,  any  napkin  or  handkerchief. 
But  this  fanciful  creation  cannot  be  intended,  even  in 
the  most  remote  and  exceptional  way,  for  any  such 
service ;  neither  can  I  conceive  what  possible  use  *  a 
gentleman  '  can  make  of  it."  Completely  puzzled,  but 
not  quite  ready  to  confess  my  ignorance,  I  consult  my 
Spanish  dictionary,  and  learn  that  "  sudario "  implies 
"winding-sheet."  Now,  I  have  seen  so  many  queerities 
in  the  way  of  costume,  and  such  abundant  evidence  of 
the  semi-barbarous  taste  of  the  Cubans  for  decoration 
and  bedizenment,  that  it  would  not  surprise  me  to 
behold  a  coq^se  decked  out  with  marabout  feathers 
and  gold  lace ;  so  I  accept  this  definition  in  perfect  faith. 
Composing  my  countenance,  therefore,  to  a  becoming 


DURING    THE  DAT.  Ill 

degree  of  solemnity,  I  next  inquire  of  Doiia  Mariquilla 
"  if  she  has  lost  a  near  friend  ? "  She  looks  at  me  in 
great  amazement,  and  I  am  forced  to  explain  myself. 

"  I  understood  you  to  say,"  I  stammer,  "  that  you 
were  making  that — sudario  for  a  gentleman,  and  I  pre- 
sumed it  must  needs  be  for  some  friend." 

"  Oh !  "  returns  she,  smiling,  *'  I  said  it  was  for  el 
jSefior.^^ 

"Now  ^^ el  Senor^^  signifies  "the  Lord."  A  'v\'inding 
sheet  for  the  Lord !  I  seem  to  be  innocently  verging 
toward  blasphemy.  "  Dona  Mariquilla,"  I  exclaim,  in 
desperation,  "  will  you  tell  me  precisely  what  a  sudario 
is,  and  what  it  is  for  !  " 

Thereupon,  the  fat,  good-natured,  motherly  lady, 
in  wide-eyed  wonder  at  the  heathen  darkness  wherein 
I  am  groping,  pours  forth  a  voluble  explanation  that 
this  term  is  applied,  in  Roman  Catholic  parlance,  to  the 
scarf  which  is  usually  wrapped  around  the  loins  of  the 
figure  of  Christ,  in  the  crucifixes,  common  to  every 
house,  and  nearly  every  room,  in  Cuba.  "  She  has  one 
at  home,"  she  goes  on  enthusiastically,  "a  splendid 
one  !  a  very  large  one ! "  (extending  her  arms  wide  to 
give  me  an  idea  of  its  size),  "and  as  a  labor  of  love, 
she  is  making  a  fine  new  sudario  for  it ;  wherewith  she 
shall  adorn  it  with  great  ceremony,  when  she  gets  home, 
and  invite  her  friends  in  to  see  how  grand  it  is  !  " 

Xow,  I  am  getting  used  to  small  images  of  this  sort : 
there  is  one  affixed  to  the  wall  of  the  room  where  we 
are  sewing,  at  this  moment — a  bit  of  lead  run  in  a 
mould,  and  then    gilded — ^which    excites    no    greater 


112  Mr   WJ.XTJ'JH   IN  CUBA, 

emotion  in  my  mind  tlian  what  is,  I  fear,  a  very  un- 
christian contempt  for  i:)eople  who  need  such  "  helps  to 
devotion,"  But  when  it  comes  to  an  ugly  Horror  of 
nearly  life  size,  with  thorns  and  nails  delineated  with 
l^re-Raj^haelite  minuteness,  great,  red  drops  of  blood, 
and  a  face  of  ghastly  suffering,  I  am  apt  to  turn  sick  at 
the  sight,  and  make  a  rush  for  the  nearest  point  of 
egress.  Not  that  I  do  not  realize,  to  the  full,  how 
good  it  is  for  us  all  to  have  our  blessed  Kedeemer's 
sufferings  in  continual  remembrance,  but  not  in  that 
grossly  material  shape, — which  seems  to  make  of  the 
cross  merely  a  horrible  instrument  of  human  torture, 
and  robs  it  of  all  sj)iritual  significance,  all  infinite 
power,  all  ghostly  comfort.  "Wherefore,  Dona  Mari- 
quilla,  if  your  house  is  shadowed  by  the  j^resence  of 
such  a  nightmare  of  a  crucifix,  I  retract,  on  the  sjDot, 
my  promise  to  visit  it.  I  do  not  think  I  could  sleep 
w^ell  under  the  same  roof  with  so  uncomfortable  an 
inmate ;  and  to  grow  familiar  with,  and  careless  of,  its 
dolorous  aspect,  would,  it  seems  to  me,  be  the  worst 
calamity  of  all. 

My  attention  is  next  fastened  on  a  ring,  worn  by 
Dona  Mariquilla,  the  stone  of  which  is  so  j^eculiar,  in 
color  and  shape,  that  I  beg  to  be  allowed  a  closer 
inspection.  According  to  Spanish  custom,  it  is  imme- 
diately placed  "  at  my  disposal "  and  its  owner  tells  me, 
unsolicited,  that  it  is  made  of  the  tooth  of  her  father, 
wliich  was  extracted,  to  that  end,  after  his  death; 
in  order  that  she  might  have  a  ^:)ar^  of  himself  as  a 
remembrancer !      I  restore   the  ring    hurriedly,  unde- 


DURING    THE  DAY,  113 

cided  "whether  I  am  most  horrified  at  the  cool  hardi- 
hood of  the  proceeding,  as  it  first  appears,  or  touched 
by  a  certain  curious,  dreary  pathos  and  tenderness, 
which  I  discover  to  be  latent  therein. 

The  entrance  of  the  two  little  ones,  Christinita  and 
Rafael,  creates  a  diversion.  Both  are  stark  naked — 
the  day  being  very  warm — except  for  a  tolerably  thick 
coating  of  the  dirt  from  the  court,  where  they  have  been 
playing.  Have  you  any  notion  how  excessively  filthy 
a  sullied  naked  child  is  ?  Not  the  grimiest  nastiness  of 
rags  and  tatters  is  at  all  comj^arable  to  it.  Neverthe- 
less, Christinita  (who  has  a  fancy  for  me)  stretches  up 
her  chubby  arms  and  insists  on  being  taken,  w^ith  such 
absolute  confidence  in  my  reciprocity,  such  entire  faith 
that  she  is  going  to  be  fondled  and  made  much  of,  that 
no  human  heart  not  wholly  incrusted  with  stone,  can 
balk  her  expectation.  So  I  swallow  my  disgust,  and 
take  her  on  my  lap,  to  rehearse  the  one  English  word 
which  I  have  taught  her — "  Pretty."  Odila,  cetat  five, 
knows  several,  only  she  has  a  curious  knack  at  misplac- 
ing them — invariably  saluting  me  with  "  Good  by,  sir ; " 
by  way  of  morning  greeting  and  emphatically  pro- 
nouncing things  "all  r-right"  (with  a  preternatural  roll 
of  the  r)  w^hich  she  knows  to  be  decidedly  all  wrong. 
She  can  sing  "Yankee  Doodle,"  too,  which  she  has 
caught  from  Juan's  habitual  whistle,  and  which  she  ac- 
companies with  a  queer,  comic,  impromptu  dance ;  for 
Odila  is  a  cross  between  fairy  and  imp,  gifted  with  a 
marvellous  spontaneity  of  prank  and  caper,  and  can 
dance  in  perfect  time  and  character  with  whatever  music 


114  3fY   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

is  played  before  her.  She  is  also  a  child  of  many  moods, 
and  of  curiously  extravagant  expressions.  In  her  happy 
moments,  she  accords  me  a  high  j^lace  in  her  affections, 
covering  my  hands,  the  hem  of  my  robe — my  feet  even, 
if  she  can  get  at  them — with  rapturous  kisses,  treating 
my  shawl,  books,  and  other  belongings,  to  enthusiastic 
hugs,  and  calling  me  her  *'  an^eZ,"  her  "  amada^''  her 
^^linda  lindisima'*'' — when  "presto,  change!" — some- 
thing goes  wrong,  and  my  devoted  little  admirer  be- 
comes a  furious  little  demon,  who  stands,  Samson-like, 
clasping  the  stone  pillars  of  the  corridor,  and  wishing 
she  could  j^nll  the  roof  down  on  my  head  and  her  own! 

"With  her  comes  her  shadow — an  exceeding  black 
one  !  It  is  round,  grave,  staring,  and  good-natured ;  it 
is  aged  five  ;  it  is  called  Ramona ;  it  is  the  .child  of 
Atanasia.  It  follows  its  little  mistress  everywhere, 
shares  her  playthings,  her  candies,  her  scrapes,  and  her 
punishments ;  accepts  her  caresses  and  her  blows  with 
the  same  placid  satisfaction  ;  and  never  makes  moan  nor 
murmur  till  bedtime  brings  the  one  thing  unendurable, 
— namely,  separation, — whereupon,  it  sets  up  a  howl  that 
almost  raises  the  roof. 

The  children  are  soon  engaged  in  a  game  of  romps, 
and  the  foreign  observer  is  confounded  by  their  fre- 
quent use  of  the  Sacred  Name, — "  Dios  mio  !  "  being 
the  common  expletive  of  small  creatures  who  can  scarce- 
ly utter  it  plainly.  Before  I  Avell  know  what  I  am  about, 
I  am  telling  their  mother  how  careful  Christian  people 
are,  in  my  own  country,  to  instruct  their  children  to 
avoid  such  profanity,  and  how  Society  has  taken  the 


DUJilXG    THE  DAY.  115 

matter  in  hand,  for  those  who  are  not  Christians,  and 
made  it  a  rndcness  to  swear  in  licr  conrts. 

She  looks  at  me  wonderingly,  and  says,  "  They  are 
good  words,  are  they  not?  Why  shouldn't  we  say 
them!" 

A  way  of  looking  at  the  subject  which  would  never 
have  occurred  to  me  ! 

It  is  now  time  for  the  two  oldest  daughters  of  the 
house  to  return  from  school.  But  not  alone, — public 
opinion  would  condemn  that,  though  the  school  were  on 
the  next  block.  Atanasia  is  sent  to  act  as  their  duenna  / 
also,  to  bring  back  on  her  head,  even  as  she  carried  it 
forth  this  morning,  a  clumsy  little  chest  containing  their 
slates,  books,  school  ajorons,  and  needle-work,  the  key 
of  which  hangs  by  a  ribbon  from  Dolorita's  neck.  Put- 
ting a  question  or  two  with  regard  to  the  school's  city^- 
riculum^  I  find  it  rather  limited.  Reading,  writing,  a 
little  arithmetic,  and  less  geography,  are  counted  all- 
sufficient  for  girls!  If  more  is  insisted  upon,  a  skim- 
ming of  grammar  can  be  had.  "  What  possible  use  can 
they  make  of  anything  farther,  unless  they  are  to 
teach  ?  "  asks  Dona  Coloma.  "  Of  course,  we  give  them 
all  needful  accomplishments." 

Apropos  to  which,  Dolorita's  music-master  bows  him- 
self in.  That  stately  young  lady  of  ten  summers  has 
.  been  diligently  practising  her  piano-lesson  (hitherto  un- 
touched) for  the  last  fifteen  minutes,  in  expectation  of 
his  arrival.  With  outward  patience,  he  endures  a  half- 
hour  of  blunders  and  discords  that  must  give  him  an  in- 
ward lockjaw.     Thus  far,  the  music-lesson  might  do  as 


116  3rr    WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

well  for  Boston  as  Matanzas ;  but  now  comes  a  varia- 
tion. He  seats  himself  at  the  piano,  and  strikes  the 
chords  of  the  piece  that  Dolorita  has  just  played,  be  it 
finger-exercise,  waltz,  study,  ^^as^oraZe,  or  what  not ; 
and  she  sings  it,  in  a  high,  thin  voice,  but  in  passable 
time  and  tune,  making  use  of  the  syllables, — fa,  sol,  la, 
fa,  sol,  la,  mi,  fa ; — in  which  performance  the  remaining 
half-hour  is  consumed.  And  this  curious  repetition  of 
the  piano-lesson  with  the  voice  is  a  regular  thing ;  no 
matter  how  ill-adapted  for  singing  the  exercises  may  be, 
nor  how  far  they  transcend  the  compass  of  the  child's 
voice, — though  the  latter  difficulty  is  j^artially  overcome 
by  singing  the  notes  an  octave  or  two  lower.  I  am  un- 
able to  divine  what  is  the  object  of  this  very  peculiar 
musical  training. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

EYERY    EVENING. 

A  T  four  P.M.,  Ricardo  appears  before  his  mistress, 
strikes  an  attitude,  and  announces  dinner.  As  the 
roof  which  shelters  me  is  in  the  constant  exercise  of  the 
largest,  most  generous  hospitality,  and  no  amount  of 
unexpected  company  could  cause  any  emban-assment 
where  the  daily  bill  of  fare  is  as  varied  and  as  bountiful 
as  ours ;  I  may  venture  on  the  liberty  of  inviting  you 
all  to  dine  with  me — after  I  have  whispered  in  your  ear 
a  timely  warning.  "  Look  not  long  into  the  soup,  though 
it  be  golden  with  saffron,  neither  linger  with  the  pilau 
of  chicken,  neither  disport  thyself  greatly  among  the 
vegetables  dearest  to  thy  heart ;  for  more  things  are  to 
come  after  than  were  ever  dreamt  of  in  any  other  philos- 
ophy of  dinner  than  the  Cuban,  and  the  guests  are 
expected  to  taste,  at  least,  of  all :  therefore  it  behooves 
them  not  to  partake  to  their  special  delectation,  of  any ; 
but  to  walk  daintily  and  discreetly  among  the  good 
things  provided,  lest  they  be  filled  to  repletion,  ere  they 
are  aware,  and  be  compelled  to  choose,  finally,  between 
the  Scylla  and  Charybdis  of  bursting  themselves  or 
ofiending  their  host." 

Fortunately,  the  dishes  are  all  placed  on  the  table  at 


118  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

the  outset,  so  one  has  the  advantage  of  seeing  what  is 
expected  of  him.  Soup,  colored  and  flavored  with 
safii'on,  comes  first,  of  course  ;  then  the  meat  and  vege- 
tables boiled  in  the  soup, — among  which  you  will  notice 
bananas,  or  plantains,  with  the  skins  on ;  then  salad. 
Next  come  stews,  in  endless  variety;  then  eggs,  in 
omelets ;  then  vegetables ;  then  infinitesimal  roasts. 
Yonder  seems  to  be  a  meat-pie ;  try  it,  by  all  means, 
and  see  what  you  can  make  of  the  contents.  "  Chicken — 
j)ork — tomatoes — onions  —  peppers — hard-boiled  eggs — 
almonds — raisins"  —  you  stop  confounded,  "cfa^^zs.-"' 
(certainly,  why  not  ?) — "  olives  !  " — and  here  you  get 
bewildered,  and  give  up  the  investigation,  wondering 
what  is  7iot  in  a  Cuban  pie !  Taste  the  green  peas, 
stewed  with  tomatoes  and  eggs ;  the  string  beans, 
dressed  like  salad ;  the  baked  beans,  mixed  with  shrimps 
or  sausages.  These  things  are  to  be  eaten  in  course,  and 
your  plate  is  shifted  for  every  one.  For  drink,  you  will 
have  Catalonian  wine,  of  undoubted  purity;  and  the 
Spaniards  always  mix  it  with  water.  Now  comes  the 
fish,  which  has  a  different  place  in  the  Spanish  meal,  you 
see,  from  that  which  it  occupies  in  ours.  There  are 
several  varieties  ;  among  them  you  will  notice  our  rain- 
bow-hued  friend  of  the  morning,  which,  in  its  border  of 
green  leaves,  is  a  study  fit  for  the  j)encil  of  Claude  Lor- 
raine. Our  host  inquires  if  you  will  take  "  bacalao,''^ 
which  somebody  explains  is  codfish;  and  feeling  quite 
certain  of  your  ground,  you  acquiesce,  and  receive  upon 
your  plate  a  thick,  dark,  greasy  mass,  wherein  the  cod- 
fish is  so  masked  by  oil,  tomatoes,  and  the  eternal  safiTron 


EVERY  EVENING.  119 

(which  is  one  ingredient  of  all  Cuban  soups  and  stews) 
that  you  ^rill  fiiil  to  recognize  it  as  an  old  acquaintance. 

Having  steered  warily  through  all  these  (and  many 
more,  of  which  I  spare  you  the  full  catalogue),  you  feel 
yourself  at  peace  with  the  world,  and  ready  for  the 
dessert.  First,  we  have  preserves,  all  new  to  us,  but  all 
most  delicious ;  then  confectionery ;  lastly,  fruits.  Then 
the  table  is  cleared,  and  coffee  is  brought ;  so  also  is  a 
silver  dish  of  lighted-  coals,  called  a  candela^  and  a  bun- 
dle of  cigars.  The  master  of  the  house  lights  one  for 
himself,  and  passes  the  bundle  to  his  next  neighbor. 
Smoking  is  the  one  thing,  which,  in  Cuba,  momentarily 
reduces  all  classes  to  a  level.  The  coachman  may  ask 
his  master  for  "  a  light,"  the  slave  his  driver,  the  soldier 
his  general-in-chief,  and  it  is  never  refused ;  and  a  mere 
wave  of  the  hand  is  sufficient,  by  way  of  thanks.  Xow, 
if  you  dislike  smoking  as  much  as  I  do,  you  will  make 
your  escape,  returning  thanks,  generally,  for  what  you 
have  eaten,  and  particularly,  that  you  have  been  asked 
to  eat  no  more,  for  the  extremest  limit  of  human  caj^acity 
has  been  reached. 

The  next  act  of  our  day-drama  is  to  come  off  out  of 
doors,  to  my  great  gratification.  The  almost  constant 
confinement  within  doors,  to  which  the  softer  sex  is  con- 
demned in  Cuba,  is  extremely  trying  to  foreigners,  accus- 
tomed to  more  freedom,  and  who  have  not,  moreover, 
the  powerful  and  absorbing  attraction  of  domestic  cares 
and  duties  to  keep  them  steady  within  so  contracted  an 
orbit.  Now  and  then  I  get  mutinous,  and  threaten  to 
go  out  and  explore  the  city  and  suburbs  by  myself,  on 


120  MY   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

foot ;  but  Juan  shakes  his  head  gravely,  and  asserts  that 
I  shall  repent  of  it,  in  dust  and  ashes,  if  1  do;  and  his 
sister  looks  profoundly  disgusted  at  the  mere  mention  of 
such  a  thing.  So,  by  way  of  apis-aUer,  I  pace  furiously 
back  and  forth,  from  the  front  balcony,  through  sala, 
dining-room,  gallery,  open  passage,  and  laundry,  making 
divers  circuits  to  avoid  prostrate  children  and  babies, 
white  and  black,  and  encouraged  by  the  plaudits  of 
half  the  household,  gathered  to  witness  the  perform- 
ance ;  for  a  Cuban  is  unable  to  conceive  of  motion  for 
the  mere  sake  of  motion,  and  is  disposed  to  regard  as  a 
fool  any  one  who  prefers  td  walk  when  he  can  sit,  and 
as  very  far  gone  in  idiocy  if  he  chooses  to  sit  when  he 
can  lounge  or  lie  down. 

But  the  carriage  Avaits.  Doiia  Coloma  in  delicate 
phla^  Dona  Mariquilla  in  black  grenadine,  Odila  in  white 
muslin  and  scarlet  ribbons,  the  three-year-old  Rafael  in 
the  gorgeous  uniform  of  a  colonel  in  the  Spanish  army, 
and  myself,  descend  to  the  piazza ;  and  are  handed  into 
the  vehicle  by  Don  Enrique,  or  Don  Cecilio,  or  Juan, 
one  of  whom  leaves  the  counting-house  to  render  us  that 
polite  attention,  and  returns  thither  as  soon  as  it  is  paid. 

The  senora  directs  her  coachman  in  clear,  bird-like 
tones,  which  pierce  through  the  rattle  and  clangor  of 
the  vehicle.  "  Dobla  al  derecho^  Amavedo  !  "  she  cries, 
and  we  go  to  the  right ;  '•''Al  izquierda,  Amavedo  !  dohla 
al  izquierda  !  "  and  we  turn  to  the  left  with  a  lurch  that 
unseats  us  all,  and  makes  it  doubtful,  for  a  moment, 
whether  we  are  in  the  carriage  or  out.  But  this  is  only 
a  cross-street,  with  a  pavement  that  seems  to  have  re- 


EVERY  EVENIXG.  121 

cently  sustained  the  shock  of  an  earthquake ;  by  and  by, 
we  shall  have  smoother  going. 

First,  we  drive  to  the  "  Pasco  de  Yersailles,"  which 
is  even  finer  than  that  of  "  Tacon  "  at  Havana,  inasmuch 
as  it  lies  along  the  margin  of  the  bay,  commanding  a 
view  of  the  shining  water,  the  ships  at  anchor,  and  the 
encircling  hills.  On  the  left  is  the  Canipo  de  Marte, 
where  a  battalion  of  soldiers,  in  gay  uniforms,  are  going 
through  with  their  evolutions ;  and  at  the  end  are  the 
castle  and  fort  of  San  Scverino. 

Here,  all  Matanzas  is  to  be  seen  at  this  hour,  driving 
up  and  down  and  around,  exchanging  nods  and  greetings 
with  acquaintances,  and  closely  observing  whatever  for- 
eign element  presents  itself.  It  is  a  brilliant  and  striking 
scene ;  yet  it  grows  tiresome,  taken  as  a  regular  dose, — 
the  same  scenery,  the  same  soldiers  drilling,  the  same 
people,  day  after  day,  vrith  no  variation  except  in  the 
toilets.  So,  now  and  then,  I  petition  my  companion  to 
leave  the  paseo^  after  a  few  turns,  and  go  a  little  way  up 
the  bank  of  the  Yumuri  or  the  San  Juan  ;  both  of  which 
rivers  run  through  the  city,  and  give  to  certain  quarters 
of  it  a  Yenice-like  character.  Or  we  drive  out  to  the 
playa^  a  delightful  strip  of  sand-beach  on  the  south  side 
of  the  bay,  where  the  children  and  I  gather  shells  while 
la  senora  waits  and  dozes  in  the  carriage.  But  it  is  plain 
that  she  finds  it  dull  pastime,  and  I  care  not  to  take  her 
too  often  out  of  the  groove  wherein  her  life  has  run  so 
long,  that  it  runs  not  satisfactorily  elsewhere.  Most  fre- 
quently we  remain  in  the  imseo  until  it  is  nearly  dark, 
when  we  follow  the  soldiers  out  on  their  march  to  quar- 
6 


122  3ir   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

ters,  see  them  defile  in,  \\liile  the  band  plays  its  last 
piece,  and  then  go  home  to  prepare  for  the  retreta. 

This  takes  place  in  the  "Plaza  de  Armas,"  a  very- 
handsome  square,  laid  out  with  walks,  palms,  and  fra- 
grant shrubs  and  flowers.  In  the  centre  is  the  inevitable 
statue  of  some  one  of  that  succession  of  Ferdinands  (I 
believe  it  is  the  seventh),  under  whose  auspices  Spain 
went  so  steadily  down  hill  for  four  centuries,  that  she 
finds  it  difficult  to  turn  about  and  ascend,  even  now.  On 
the  east  side  is  the  residence  of  the  Coincmdcmte^  or 
governor  of  the  department ;  on  the  north  is  the  Liceo, 
a  mixture  of  lyceum  and  club-house,  and  the  remaining 
sides  are  filled  with  handsome  dwellings  and  shops. 

Eighteen  years  ago,  in  this  square — so  calm,  so  fair, 
in  its  silver  moonlight  dress — fell  Gabriel  Concepcion  de 
la  Valdez,  a  mulatto,  a  patriot,  and  one  of  the  very  few 
popular  poets  of  Cuba.  He  was  accused  of  taking  an 
active  share  in  that  wide-spread  movement  of  the  slaves 
to  gain  their  freedom,  which  sent  such  a  thrill  of  terror 
throughout  the  island  in  1 844.  He  was  tried,  condemned, 
and  sentenced  to  be  shot.  It  is  related  that  the  first 
volley  failed  to  touch  any  niortal  part,  and  the  brave 
victim,  bleeding  from  several  wounds,  but  erect  and 
undismayed,  pointed  to  his  head :  ^''Aim  here^''  said  he, 
with  as  steady  a  voice  as  if  commanding  a  battalion. 
The  order  was  obeyed,  and  the  second  volley  sent  the 
strong,  heroic,  yet  tender  soul,  to  a  land  where,  we  may 
trust,  it  found  gentler  judgment  for  its  errors,  and  wider 
scope  for  its  talents,  than  in  that  which  gave  it  birth. 
'   However,  no  shadow  of  that  tragedy  lingers  here  to- 


EVERY  EVENING.  123 

night.  All  around  the  enclosure  is  a  broad  pavement, 
lined  on  either  side  mth  gas-lights  and  seats  for  specta- 
tors. Outside  of  these  are  the  volantes  and  quitrins^ 
closely  wedged  together,  and  filled  with  the  beautiful 
Matanzeras.  The  band  is  stationed  at  the  foot  of  the 
white  statue,  sprinkling  the  air  with  sweet  sounds,  even 
as  the  flowers  sprinkle  it  with  sweet  odors.  Overhead 
are  the  pahns  and  the  stars.  It  would  be  hard  to  find  a 
fairer,  gayer  scene. 

The  etiquette  of  Matanzas,  less  rigid  in  this  particular 
than  that  of  Havana,  allows  ladies  to  alight  from  their 
volantes,  if  they  like,  and  take  a  turn  or  two  around  the 
square,  if  duly  escorted  by  father,  or  brother,  or  hus- 
band. You  see  scores  of  them,  therefore,  walking  round 
and  round,  with  that  graceful,  undulating  motion  pecu- 
liar to  Cuban  women,  and  j^ausing,  now  and  then,  to 
rest  upon  the  seats.  They  are  dressed  as  for  an  evening 
party, — long  trains  of  sheer  muslin,  or  sheeny  silk,  sweep 
the  pavement — bright  sashes  wave — -jewels  glisten — pol- 
ished shoulders  gleam  white  by  gas-light,  and  rows  of 
gentlemen  stare  and  comment  as  they  list.  It  seems  to 
us  a  very  public  exhibition,  and  a  little  inconsistent  with 
the  strictness  of  Cuban  customs  in  other  matters. 

At  nine  o'clock  the  music  closes  with  the  celebrated 
Cuban  dance, — a  strange,  monotonous,  half  wild  and 
half  sad  melody,  which  makes  you  doubtful  whether  it 
was  intended  to  set  you  dancing  madly,  or  to  lull  you  to 
a  dreamy  sleep.  The  Cubans,  however,  seem  not  to  be 
troubled  by  any  such  question ;  you  can  see  that  their  feet 
involuntarily  keep  time  to  the  music,  and  I  am  told  that. 


124  JfV    WIXTER   IX  Cl'BA. 

at  their  balls,  the  sound  of  this  favorite  dance  rouses  the 
most  languid  of  them  into  a  sudden  entliusiasm  and 
intoxication  of  dancinir.  This  over,  the  band  marches 
away  to  the  sound  of  its  OY\'n  music,  the  volantes  rattle 
off,  and  the  show  is  ended.  Some  of  the  promenaders 
linger  a  while,  if  the  evening  is  fine ;  others  go*  to  the 
^^Louvre^''  to  eat  an  ice  with  harquillos^  or  take  a  cup  of 
coffee,  and  then  the  Plaza  is  left  to  the  moonlight,  and 
the  sentinels  guarding  the  j)alace. 

Very  often,  we  go  from  the  retreta,  to  pass  an  hour 
at  the  house  of  another  branch  of  the  Samano  family, 
residing  in  the  city.  This  abode  shall  be  briefly  described, 
not  as  anything  exceptional,  but  as  a  fair  specimen  of 
an  average  Cuban  city  dwelling. 

The  marble  floor  of  the  hall  is  on  a  level  Avith  the 
stone  pavement  of  the  street,  and  would  join  it  but  for 
a  somewhat  elevated  door-sill.  Stepping  over  this,  the 
first  object  that  confronts  your  astounded  gaze  is  the 
qiiitrin^ — elegantly  trimmed  and  glistening  with  silver- 
plate,  it  is  true ;  but  still,  giving  you  the  impression 
that,  by  mistake,  you  are  entering  the  house  through  the 
stable!  Between  this  hall  and  the  sala  is  an  arched 
opening,  closed  by  a  light  iron-grating, — the  quitrin, 
therefore,  is  always  in  sight ;  indeed,  in  some  cases  there 
is  no  division  whatever,  and  the  vehicle  occupies  one 
end  of  the  a2)artraent  in  stately  grandeur,  but  the  room 
is  so  vast  that  it  is  not  in  the  way.  Back  of  the  parlor 
is  the  dininGf-room,  through  which  the  horses  are  taken 
to  the  stables  in  the  rear  of  the  court ;  their  hoofs 
striking  sharply  on  the  stone  floor,  and  convincing  the 


EVEIIY  EVENING.  125 

foreign  observer  that  tliere  are  many  good  reasons  for 
the  Lick  o'f  carpets  in  Cuba  !  I  have  had  the  pleasure 
of  witnessing  this  performance  many  times,  with  much 
inward  amusement,  as  you  may  imagine,  and  congratu- 
lating myself,  meanwhile,  that  my  countenance  is  not 
always  the  mirror  of  my  thoughts. 

Back  of  the  dining-room  is  the  court,  over  which  an 
awning  is  drawn  during  the  heat  of  the  day ;  and  in  which 
a  few  roses,  lemon-trees,  and  vines,  are  growing,  giving 
it  a  cheerful  touch  of  greenery  and  blossom.  Upon  it  the 
doors  of  the  sleeping  rooms  open.  All  are  on  one  level. 
It  is  not  unusual  to  see  one  end  of  the  court  roofed  over, 
to  serve  as  a  dining-room. 

The  large  windows  of  the  sala  are  raised  one  step 
from  tlie  floor,  strongly  iron-grated,  and  project  about 
a  foot  into  the  street,  afibrding  an  unobstructed  look 
out,  and  an  equally  unobstructed  look  in.  If  you  are 
passing  outside,  you  often  see  the  seiloras  and  seftoritas 
standing  in  these,  and  gazing  at  the  outer  world  through 
the  iron  bars  ;  with  so  much  of  the  aspect  of  prisoners, 
that,  at  first,  it  makes  you  melancholy  to  look  at  them. 
You  fancy  that  they  suffer  from  the  tyrannous  restraints 
of  their  social  customs,  and  are  longing  to  escape. 
Your  compassion  is  utterly  wasted.  I  do  not  believe 
the  desire  to  "get  out,"  except  in  a  volante  to  thepaseo 
or  the  retreta^  ever  enters  the  Cuban  feminine  mind. 

Entering  the  sala  you  will  find  its  furniture  sepa- 
rated by  magnificent  distances.  There  is  a  fine  Erard 
piano,  a  cane-seated  sofa,  two  or  three  tables,  and  a  few 
good  pictures.     There  is  also  in  the  middle  of  the  room 


126  MV    WINTER   TN   CUBA. 

a  double  row  of  chairs  (chiefly  rockers)  facing  each 
other,  and  with  just  space  enough  to  pass  between 
them;  and  you  will  suspect  that  the  children  were 
enjo}dng  a  game  of  cross-questions  when  you  entered, 
and  there  was  no  time  to  set  things  to  rights.  But  it  is 
the  universal  arrangement,  and  you  will  find  it  in  every 
sala  on  the  island.  The  gentlemen  are  expected  to  take 
one  row,  and  the  ladies  the  opposite  one,  unless  there  is 
a  disproportionate  number  of  either  sex,  which  makes  it 
necessary  to  encroach  upon  the  space  allotted  to  the 
other.  Never  take  a  seat  elsewhere — you  will  commit 
an  almost  unpardonable  breach  of  decorum, — but  if  the 
row  is  too  sliort  to  accommodate  a  sudden  influx  t)f 
visitors,  a  servant  will  straightway  piece  it  out  to  the 
required  length. 

A  cellar-like  dampness  pervades  most  of  the  apart- 
ments, and  I  am  glad  that  the  lines  have  fallen  to  me  in 
a  dwelling  of  a  difierent  sort ;  for  Don  Enrique,  like 
many  Cuban  merchants,  lives  over  his  counting-room 
and  warehouses,  nor  thinks  his  social  standing  at  all 
lowered  by  his  so  doing.  Indeed,  the  Captain-General 
himself  must  needs  live  over  the  government  oflices 
when  he  is  in  town ;  and  of  all  curious  Cuban  combina- 
tions, perhaps  not  the  least  curious  are  the  very  common 
ones  of  elegant  mansions  i\dth  busy  warehouses. 

At  the  Samano  reunions^  we  all  sit  in  the  inevitable 
double  row  of  chairs,  in  the  middle  of  the  sala^  in  full 
view  of  the  street,  and  rock  and  talk  at  each  other  at 
about  an  equal  rate  of  velocity.  Sometimes,  I  am  fain 
to  pass  ofi*  my  knowledge  of  Spanish  for  something  even 


EVE  in'  EVENING.  127 

less  than  it  is,  in  order  to  escape  from  the  weariness  of 
being  civil  and  sociable  in  a  foreign  tongue,  and  to  be 
free  to  use  my  eyes  and  ears  to  the  best  advantage. 

In  one  thing,  the  Cubans  are  less  formal  tlian  we: 
the  use  of  the  Christian  name  among  friends  and 
acquaintances  is  universal,  and  also  of  the  diminutives 
"  ito  "  and  "  itay  "  Don^^  and  "  Bona  "  are  prefixed 
where  a  little  more  formality  is  desired.  "A^ewor"  and 
"  senora "  are  used,  alone,  precisely  as  we  use  "  sir " 
and  "  ma'am  "  :  they  are  allied  to  the  surname  when  it 
becomes  necessary  to  distinguish  ichich  "  Don  Juan  "  or 
"  Doiia  Maria  "  is  meant,  or  on  occasions  of  extreme  for- 
mality. For  formal  introductions,  and  superscriptions 
to  letters,  both  titles  are  used,  thus ; — Senor  Don  Juan 
Samano,"  *'  Senora  Dona  Maria  Samano."  Very  likely, 
the  latter  would  sign  herself  "  Maria  Legran,  de  Sa- 
mano,— Legran  being  her  maiden  name, — and  you 
would  be  quite  safe  in  addressing  her  accordingly.  To 
an  unmarried  lady  senora  takes  the  place  of  seflorita, 
but  Dona  ap23lies  to  both  married  and  single. 

In  the  circle  whereof  I  write,  my  own  Christian  name 
is  already  current,  but  so  disguised  by  the  prefix 
"Doiia,"  and  the  sufiix  "  ita,"  and  the  Spanish  pronun- 
ciation of  the  initial  letter,  that  I  find  some  difficulty 
in  recognizing  it  as  one  of  my  belongings. 

Listening  to  the  talk  around  me,  I  am  struck  by  a 
peculiar,  rising  inflection  at  the  end  of  every  sentence, 
and  clause  of  a  sentence  ;  tantamount  to  a  note  of 
inten'ogation.  Senora  Arcila,  moreover,  introduces  a 
questioning    "  eh  ? "   between  every   particular   of    the 


128  MT  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

remarks  she  is  addressing  to  me,  which  seems  to  say, 
"Do  you  understand  it?  can  you  believe  it?"  the 
whole  running  something  as  follows  : 

"  You  see  her  vmcle  w^anted  to  marry  her,  eh  ?  and 
the  Bishop  of  Havana  forbade  it,  eh?  and  so  they 
sailed  yesterday  for  the  United  States,  eh?  and  they 
will  doubtless  get  it  done  there,  if  they  pay  hand- 
somely, eh  ?  " 

I  venture  to  express  my  surprise  that  there  should 
be  any  question  of  marriage  where  there  is  such  con- 
sanguinity. •  Unto  which  she  replies :  "  Why,  I  mar- 
ried my  own  uncle,  eh  ?  did  you  not  know  it,  eh  ?  We 
had  a  dispensation  from  the  Pope,  eh?  —  paid  three 
thousand  dollars  for  it,  eh?" — and  so  on,  until  I  am 
ready  to  cry  out,  "  Yes,  yes,  I  believe  it  all  and  ten 
times  more,  if  you  like ;  only  do  talk  like  a  Christian,  and 
not  keep  me  nodding,  after  the  manner  of  a  Chinese 
mandarin,  with  that  eternal  '  eh  ! '  " 

An  odd,  wizened,  Don-Quixotic  figure  now  enters, 
leaning  on  a  gold-headed  cane,  and  bowing  to  the 
ground.  He  is  presented  to  the  foreign  lady  wdth 
em2wessement^  as  Seiioi:  Don  Miguel  Santamaria.  She 
has  heard  of  him  before.  He  is  remarkable,  dietetically, 
for  having  drunken  nothing  but  cocoa-nut  water  (or 
milk,  as  some  call  it)  for  twenty  years ;  and  intellectual- 
ly, as  having  written  and  published  a  book  in  praise  of 
that  beverage, — also  several  poems.  Somebody  suggests 
that  he  shall  recite  one  of  the  latter  for  her  delectation. 
He  does  so,  with  a  passion  of  emphasis  and  an  energy 
of  gesticulation   that   are — to  say  the  least   of  them — 


EVERY  EVENING.  129 

supererogatory.  Some  one  then  mischievously  hints  to 
him  that  she  has  been  known  to  string  rhymes  together. 
Whereupon  he  lays  his  hand  upon  his  mellow  old  heart, 
and  looking  more  Don-Quixotic  than  ever,  protests  that, 
though  he  has  often  desired  to  knc/W  English,  never  did 
he  desire  it  so  ardently  as  now,  that  he  might  have  the 
inexpressible  pleasure  of  hearing  her  recite  some  of  her 
"  versos,"  in  return  for  his..  Soon  after,  he  casts  himself 
at  her  adorable  little  feet,  kisses  the  hands  of  the  mis- 
tress of  the  mansion,  and  elaborately  bows  himself  out 
of  the  room. 

Immediately,  the  roguish  young  Don  Ruperto  gravely 
gives  a  perfect  imitation  of  the  old  gentleman's  voice 
and  manner,  even  to  the  recitation  of  some  of  his  verses, 
and  a  wonderful  fac-simile  of  his  ceremonious  departure. 
Everybody  laughs,  but  the  mimic's  mother, — she  scolds. 
Such  treatment  of  their  late  visitor  "is  vergonzoso ; — it 
is  escandoloso  ; — it  is  everything  that  is  disgraceful  and 
discourteous  ! "     So  it  is ;  but  it  is  also  very  amusing. 

We  are  also  entertained  with  music.  Mercedes — the 
eldest  daughter  of  the  house — plays  exquisitely.  Her 
audience  is  not  confined  to  the  sala ;  an  appreciative 
group  gathers  outside  the  window,  and  listens  atten- 
tively to  the  end.  Every  hat  is  then  lifted,  a  low,  but 
emphatic  "  Gracias  "  is  heard,  possibly  a  compliment, 
or  two,  to  the  young  lady's  talent  and  beauty  follows ; 
then  the  group  scatters.  Perhaps  she  acknowledges 
this  tribute  by  a  sliglit  bow;  perhaps  not;  it  doesn't 
matter  either  way. 

On  one  occasion,  the  lady  of  the  house  is  excused 
6* 


130  MT   WINTER   IX  CUBA. 

from  seeing  us  on  the  pica  tliat  she  is  "  suffering  from  the 
quarrel  between  the  Bishop  and  the  Captain-General." 
I  don't  quite  see  how  that  can  be  a  personal  calamity, 
and  Doiia  Coloma  explains  to  my  puzzled  face  that  it  is  a 
Cuban  custom  to  name  epidemic  colds  after  some  recent 
national  or  local  misfortune.  The  last  wreck,  or  po^v- 
der-mill  explosion,  or  a  possible  invasion  oi  Jilibusteros^ 
or  the  resignation  of  a  government  ofhcial,  is  assigned 
as  the  reason  why  your  friend  denies  himself  to  you ; 
wdiicli  is  to  be  understood  as  a  pleasant  way  of  saying 
that  he  has  an  influenza. 

If  we  spend  our  evenings  at  home,  there  is  some- 
times a  rustle  on  the  staircase  at  a  late  hour,  and  in 
flutters  a  bevy  of  bright  dresses  and  glistening  fans  ;  the 
toilets  and  their  wearers  being  fresh  from  the  retreta.' 
Children  accompany  their  mammas,  decked  out  in  floun- 
ces and  white  satin  boots,  and  manage  their  fans  and 
eyes  with  nearly»as  much  skill.  There  are  no  introduc- 
tions; but  those  who  meet  in  a  friend's  house  enter  into 
conversation  without  that  formality,  and  need  not  recog- 
nize each  other  when  they  meet  again,  unless  they 
choose.  Introductions  are  seldom  given,  without  first 
having  asked  the  consent  of  both  parties. 

At  ten,  there  is  an  informal  supper  of  jyacienzas  (a 
kind  of  hard  biscuits)  and  wine,  for  those  who  like  it, 
and  the  day  is  over.  Step  out  on  the  balcony  with  me, 
and  take  a  last  look  at  the  phantom  ships  on  a  silver  sea 
before  us,  and  the  "  Southern  Cross,"  gleaming  on  the 
horizon's  utmost  rim,  and  spiritualized  by  its  legend  of 
'-''In  hoc  signo^  mnces^"^ — and  so,  good  night ! 


CHAPTER  Xiy. 

THE    VALLEY    OP    YUMURI. 

/^CCASIONALLY,  the  foregoing  programme  is  va- 
ried by  excursions  to  jioints  of  interest  in  the 
vicinity.  Among  them,  that  to  tlie  valley  of  Yumiiri 
stands  preeminent.  It  is  said  to  be  the  loveliest  spot  in 
all  Cuba.  It  has  been  likened  to  the  "  Happy  Valley  " 
of  Rasselas,  and  the  "  Valley  of  Delight  "  of  Rafi-Eddin. 
It  is  declared  that  he  ^vho  is  not  quite  ready  to  yield  up 
his  mortal  breath  at  sight  of  the  bay  of  Naples,  at  once 
succumbs  to  the  valley  of  Yumuri.  All  of  which  it  is 
as  well  to  believe.  The  tourist  should  have  large  faith. 
The  valley  takes  its  name  from  the  river  flowino- 
through  it.  The  latter,  tradition  affinns,  was  called 
Yumuri — which  signifies  "I  die" — in  commemoration 
of  the  last  words  of  a  certain  Indian,  who  was  drowned 
in  its  waters  by  the  upsetting  of  his  canoe.  This  also 
the  tourist  will  believe,  though  the  river's  cun-ent  is 
neither  rapid  nor  deep.  For  the  name  is  soft  and 
musfcal,  and  even  this  bit  of  a  legend  gives  a  kind  of 
historic  interest  to  the  stream;  inasmuch  as  the  said 
Indian  must  have  been  one  of  that  gentle  and  simple 
race  which  welcomed  Columbus  to  these  shores  as  a  god, 


132  31  r   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

and  which  the  Sj)aniard  thereafter  enslaved  and  exter- 
minated. 

Besides  you  and  me,  dear  reader,  the  j^arty  will 
consist  of  my  hostess,  and  otiier  members  of  the  family, 
Mrs.  and  Miss  R.  (recently  arrived  from  Havana  for  the 
purpose),  and  several  invited  guests.  The  gentlemen 
and  Miss  R.  are  to  go  on  horseback,  the  rest  in  volantes; 
for  we  are  told  that  no  carriage  could  stand  the  rough- 
ness of  the  road  by  which  we  are  to  travel.  Tou  and  I 
are  a  little  surprised  at  this,  not  yet  seeing  what  advan- 
tage those  cumbrous,  noisy,  swaying  vehicles,  whereat 
we  have  laughed  so  much,  can  possess  over  a  good 
carriage ;  but  we  shall  be  wiser  ere  our  expedition  is 
finished. 

AYe  were  to  have  started  at  three  o'clock,  but  delay 
seems  always  to  be  the  first  thing  on  the  programme 
where  a  large  party  is  to  be  gotten  oif ;  and  it  is  nearly 
four  when  we  descend,  to  find  the  saddle-horses  stand- 
ing on  the  stone  floor  of  the  piazza,  each  held  by  a 
swarthy,  bright-eyed,  half-clad  boy,  and  the  volantes 
drawn  up  outside.  Here,  an  unforeseen  difiiculty  occurs. 
The  saddle  intended  for  Miss  R.  is  discovered  to  have 
the  horn  and  stirrup  .on  the  right  side,  according  to 
universal  Cuban  custom  ;  and  she  very  naturally  doubts 
her  ability  to  ride  in  such  unwonted  fashion.  However, 
she  is  persuaded  to  mount  and  give  it  a  trial.  Mrs.  R. 
and  I  are  handed  into  a  volants^  the  gentlemen  spring 
to  the  saddle,  the  servants,  porters,  grooms,  etc.,  as- 
sembled to  watch  "  las  Americajios^''''  wave  courteous 
adieux^  and  we  are  off. 


THE   VALLEY  OF  YUM  URL  133 

Don  Enrique  leads  the  way,  on  a  handsome  black 
horse,  Avliich  he  rides  like  the  accomplished  gentleman 
that  he  is ;  a  certain  powerfully  framed,  black-bearded, 
and  black-browed  Gapita7i  Garcia,  of  Castilian  birth, 
takes  a  position  on  the  right  of  our  own  volaiite,  by 
way  of  escort  to  the  foreign  ladies ;  and  Miss  R., 
Juan,  and  Cecilio,  fall  into  the  rear,  choosing  to  take  a 
slow  pace  until  the  lady  gets  accustomed  to  her  saddle. 
We  lose  sight  of  her  at  the  first  corner — rattle  briskly 
through  the  city — cross  the  bridge — pass  the  barracks, 
the  hospital,  and  two  or  three  handsome  suburban 
villas, — and  then,  commence  the  slow,  rough,  toilsome 
ascent  of  the  "  Cumbre."  Ere  long,  ^YQ  are  high 
enough  to  overlook  the  rear  road  for  some  distance,  but 
our  horsewoman  and  her  escort  do  not  appear;  and 
Mrs.  R.  begs  me  (for  she  speaks  no  Spanish)  to  inquire 
the  probable  cause  of  the  delay.  Questions  and  sur- 
mises follow,  and  a  halt  is  ordered  till  the  loiterers  shall 
arrive.  Meantime,  we  enjoy  the  view,  which  is  already 
very  beautiful — the  square  blocks  of  the  horse-shoe 
sliaped  city,  with  its  pair  of  shining  rivers — the  bay  and 
shipping  glowing  in  the  rays  of  the  westering  sun — 
the  neighboring  hills  and  distant  mountains^ — and  afar, 
the  blue  waves  and  white  sails  of  the  boundless  ocean. 

We  take  ample  time  to  study  all  these  details ;  still 
our  friends  do  not  appear.  I  inquire  if  they  may  not 
have  taken  some  other  road,  and  am  told  that  there  is 
no  other  road, — a  piece  of  information  which  I  do  not 
deem  it  necessary  to  impart  to  my  trembling  companion, 
who  is  clinging  to  that  last  hope.     Neither  do  I  think  it 


134  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

expedient  to  utter  my  involuntary  inward  comment, 
that  "  one  such  is  enough "  :  a  road  like  this  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  a  city  of  forty  thousand  inhabi- 
tants, speaks  more  pointedly  of  the  indolence  and  sloth 
of  the  Cubans,  in  matters  not  directly  related  to  the 
making  of  money,  than  anything  I  could  say.  At 
length  Don  Enrique  grows  impatient  and  uneasy,  and 
sets  off,  at  a  hand-gallop,  to  solve  the  mystery;  re- 
appearing again  in  a  short  time,  to  say  that  Miss  R., 
finding  herself  unable  to  ride  in  such  reverse  fashion, 
has  wisely  returned  to  the  house,  and  will  follow  us  as 
soon  as  another  volante  can  be  found.  Satisfied  with 
this  explanation,  the  cavalcade  again  moves  on. 

Our  way  is  still  upward,  and  the  road  grows  rough 
in  tolerably  exact  proportion  to  the  rate  of  ascent. 
Gullies  yawn  beside  us ;  rolling  stones  give  very  inse- 
cure footing  for  the  horses  ;  rocks  heave  up  like  billows 
and  lift  us  on  their  brown  shoulders ;  and  my  respect 
for  the  volantes  grows  with  every  revolution  of  the 
enormous  wheels.  Being  so  large,  they  j^ass  easily  over 
the  irregularities  of  the  road ;  being  so  strong,  they  are 
not  readily  broken ;  while  the  distance  of  the  horse 
from  the  vehicle  gives  one  a  pleasant  assurance  of 
security  from  liis  heels,  in  case  he  goes  down — a  danger 
which  seems  imminent,  at  times.  My  sympathy  for  the 
hard-Avorked  animal,  however,  increases  in  the  ratio  of 
my  respect  for  the  volante  ;  he  toils,  jDants,  and  stumbles 
on,  dripping  with  perspiration,  while  his  companion, 
whose  share  of  the  labor  is  limited  to  carrying  the  pos- 
tilion, steps  easily  and  jauntil)^,  making  one  to  see  that, 


THE    VALLEY  OF  YU3IURL  135 

even  to  horses,  the  good  things  of  this  life  are  unevenly- 
distributed.  I  bethink  myself  that  Bishop  Butler  half 
admits  that  his  masterly  argument  for  the  immortality 
of  man  applies  as  well  to  animals  ;  and  am  soon  lost  in  a 
mid  maze  of  speculation  as  to  how  mucli  the  admission 
may  be  good  for,  and  whether  the  Indian  is  so  far  wrong 
in  believing  that  his  horse  and  hound  will  share  his 
Paradise, — when  Mrs.  R.  recalls  my  wandering  thoughts, 
and  points  to  a  cactus-crowned  wall  which  we  are 
passing.  ^ 

The  variety  of  these  prickly  plants  growing  thereon 
is  really  wonderful ;  and  they  seem  to  form  quite  as 
effectual  a  barrier  against  intrusion  as  the  broken  glass 
and  iron  spikes  often  used  for  the  same  purpose.  The 
grounds  thus  enclosed  are  radiant  with  oleanders,  pome- 
granites,  and  other  brilliant  flowering  shrubs;  while 
oranges,  bananas  and  cocoa  nuts  tempt  one,  by  their 
luscious  profusion,  to  Avish  that  laws  respecting  '^Meum 
and  Tuum''^  had  never  been  framed.  So  we  trot  on. 
Up  hill  and  down  vale,  passing  several  small  "  hacien- 
das^^ or  plantations, — past  sugar-cane  fields,  pine-apple 
gardens,  palm  avenues,  and  mahogany  trees,  until  the 
last  hill  is  surmounted,  and  the  first  glimpse  of  tlie  valley 
of  Yumuri,  breaks  upon  us.  Looking  down  a  steep 
hillside,  worn  into  deep  gullies  by  heavy  rains  (of  such 
regularity,  that  they  look  like  a  row  of  gigantic  col- 
umns) we  see  a  gently  undulating  vale,  feathery  with 
palms— billovry  with  cane — golden  witli  an  ever-present 
flowering  shrub,  peculiar  to  the  country — a  thread  of 
silver  winding  through  it,  to  show  what  a  small  becrin. 


136  MT  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

ning  in  life,  as  a  brook,  the  river  Yiimiiri  has, — and  all 
around,  green  hills,  with  sun-gilded  crests,  and  sides 
mantled  with  shadow.  But  this  is  only  tlie  beginning 
of  enchantments.  Riding  along  the  brow  of  the  hills, 
our  eyes  are  delighted  with  a  succession  of  lovely  and 
changeful  pictures,  until  we  reach  a  point  on  one  side, 
where  we  all  alight,  and  scramble  a  little  Avay  down  a 
steep,  rocky  path,  bordered  by  a  thicket  of  shrubs,  till 
we  stand  on  the  summit  of  a  hill  that  thrusts  a  rough, 
scarred  shoulder  out  into  the  valley,  and  a  complete 
view  of  its  whole  length  and  breadth  is  before  us !  It 
is  of  such  an  exquisite,  ethereal,  and  pathetic  beauty, 
that  all  voices  are  hushed,  all  hearts  touched,  and  w^e 
gaze  in  absolute,  breathless  silence  !  The  valley  is  vast, 
in  extent,  and  deep  down  below  us,  in  position  ;  yet  its 
minute,  microscopic  features  seem  very  near  in  the 
transparent  air,  very  distinct  in  the  flood  of  sunset  light 
which  both  reveals  and  transfigures  them;  and  those 
same  slanting  sunbeams,  give  it  a  tremulous,  palpitating 
grace,  which  makes  it  appear  unreal  and  unearthly — a 
thing  to  dissolve  and  vanish  even  while  we  gaze  and 
wonder.  There  is  no  habitation  to  be  seen  in  it,  no 
form  of  man  ;  it  is  a  tract  of  enchanted  ground — a 
lovely  opening  into  fairy-land — a  vast  piece  of  weird 
mosaic — a  picture  of  Eden  before  man  had  breathed 
upon  and  dimmed  it ; — yet  none  of  these  images  fully 
expresses  its  peculiar,  exceeding  charm.  Like  the 
master-jjieces  of  art  or  of  poetry,  it  has  a  nameless  and 
intangible  beauty,  a  consummate  deliciousness,  that 
baffles  comprehension,  and  seems  to  belong  almost  more 
to  the  domain  of  faith  than  that  of  sight. 


THE   VALLEY  OF  YUMURL  137 

Right  opposite  to  us,  two  lofty  mountain-peaks  lift 
their  rugged  brows  to  look  upon  it  admiringly,  throwing 
long  sliadows  across  its  gilded  floor, — for  behind  them 
the  sun  is  going  down,  round,  red,  in  cloudless  glory — 
and  he  too  seems  to  be  gazing,  wondering,  lingering, 
loth  to  pass  on  and  leave  it  behind  !  I  know  not  what 
feelings  stir  in  the  hearts  around  me,  but  my  own,  after 
a  little,  swells  with  an  indescribable  sense  of  pain  that 
this  entrancing  vision  will  have  so  soon  passed  out  of  my 
life,  never  again  to  be  present  to  actual  vision,  however 
it  may  haunt  my  memory ;  for  its  subtle  fascination  and 
appealing  beauty  wind  themselves  into  my  soul,  and 
cling  there,  with  a  pleading,  persistent  tenderness, — 
whispering,  in  siren  tones,  "  Abide  with  me  and  be  my 
love!" 

But  the  sun  has  dropped  behind  the  mountains, 
and  the  valley  begins  to  fill  with  shadow,  as  with  a 
sea!  The  clouds  darken,  the  outlines  tremble  and 
blend,  the  tufted  palm-trees  sink  out  of  sight, — swiftly, 
too  swiftly,  the  purple  billows  climb  the  hill-sides,  until 
all  is  submerged ;  and,  looking  across  the  deluge  which 
has  swept  over  that  fairy  world,  we  see  the  dark  forms 
of  the  mountain  mourners  sharply  outlined  on  the  pink 
and  gold  background  of  the  sky.  What  subtle  link 
of  association  brings  before  me  that  lovely  picture  of  the 
"  Christian  Martyr,"  which  used  to  hang  in  Goupil's 
window  ? — a  fair  female  figure,  drifting  in  transparent, 
rippled  waters.  Do  I  expect  to  see  some  sweet  incar- 
nation of  the  drowned  Yalley  floating  on  the  surface  of 
that  purple  sea  ? 


138  MY   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

Sighing  as  we  go,  we  turn  our  backs  ofl  the  dark- 
ened picture,  and  climb  back  to  the  road.  Life  is  full 
of  strange  contrasts,  and  we  next  find  ourselves  in  a 
sugar-house  close  at  hand,  belonging  to  the  "  inge^iio  " 
of  "Xa  Vlctona^^'' — and  feel  much  as  if  we  had  been 
suddenly  transported  from  Paradise  to  Pandemonium. 
The  establishment  is  not  a  large  one  ;  and  the  mill  is  of 
the  primitive  sort,  somewhat  resembling  an  old-fash- 
ioned cider-mill.  It  is  turned  by  five  or  six  pairs 
of  oxen  going  round  and  round  in  a  dusky  gallery 
above;  the  negro  drivers  of  which  keep  up  a  contin- 
uous yelling  and  screeching  that-  may  truly  be  called 
infernal, — it  makes  us  put  our  hands  to  our  ears. 
They  are  hideous,  vicious-looking  creatures,  too  (the 
dusk  and  the  noise  may  be  partially  responsible  for 
that),  so  that  the  pistols  in  the  belt,  and  the  sword  by 
the  side,  of  the  overseer,  seem  not  a  needless  precau- 
tion. This  latter  personage,  by  the  way  (here  known 
as  the  mayoral)^  is  politely  cutting  up  sugar-cane  for  us 
to  chew,  w^hile  we  are  making  these  observations, — a 
refection  not  to  be  despised  when  once  the  taste  for  it  is 
acquired.  We  are  glad  to  escape  from  this  noisy  Ere- 
bus to  the  vats  below,  though  it  is  even  hotter  down 
there,  and  the  half-naked  attendants,  seen  through 
clouds  of  vapor,  might  be  taken  for  Macbeth's  witches 
over  their  cauldron.  The  process  of  sugar-boiling  and 
drying  is  shown  and  explained  to  us,  but  as  I  shall 
witness  this  operation  by  and  by,  on  one  of  the  largest 
and  completest  "  ingenios "  of  the  island,  worked  by 
steam,  I  pass  over  it   now.     Finally — a  last  attention 


THE   VALLEY  OF  YUMURL  139 

always  paid  to  guests — teacups  are  filled  from  the  boil- 
ers, with  a  cocoa-nut  dipper,  and  commended  to  our  lips. 
The  drauglit,  however,  is  not  much  to  the  taste  of  any- 
body except  Don  Cecilio  and  myself;  but  we  linger, 
sipping  the  hot,  sweet  beverage,  and  chatting  with  the 
mayoral^  for  a  considerable  time  ;  and  are  compared  by 
Miss  R.  to  two  old  maids,  drinking  tea ! 

Emerging  from  this  den  of  sweets,  unrefined  and 
unadulterated,  we  are  confronted  by  a  row  of  negresses, 
each  with  a  bouquet  to  present  to  the  ladies.  We  accept 
the  flowers  with  thanks,    and   they  receive  a  donation 

from  Seiior   G with  courtseyings  and  ejaculations 

grotesque  and  indescribable ! 

Then  follows  a  j^leasant  ride  home  in  the  moonlight, 
and  a  charming,  silvered  view  of  city  and  bay,  as  we 
surmount  and  descend  the  last  hill.  We  enjoy  it  all 
keenly,  but  we  do  not  talk  much  about  it ; — in  truth, 
when  the  recollection  of  that  wondrous  valley,  transfig- 
ured in  the  sunset  and  drowned  in  the  shadow,  comes  be- 
fore us,  we  feel  as  if  we  should  never  talk  any  more  ;  for 
a  fair,  cherished  friend  is  buried  out  of  our  sight,  and  the 
earth  cannot  ever  seem  so  bright  again.  What  words  will 
embody  to  others  the  lost  grace,  the  evanescent  loveli- 
ness, or  the  exquisite  pleasure  and  tender  pain  that  we 
have  experienced ! 


CHAPTER  XV. 

LAS    CUEVAS    DE    BELLAMAR. 

6i'\rOJJ  don't  really  mean  to  say  that  you  are  going 
to  spend  the  rest  of  the  winter  in  Matanzas  ? " 
said  a  certain  John  Bull  to  me,  in  a  gently  amazed  and 
supercilious  way,  as  I  was  quitting  Havana.  "Why, 
there  is  nothing  worth  seeing  there  but  the  Caves,  and 
you  can  do  them  in  a  day." 

If  we  dwelt  in  the  Palace  of  Truth,  I  might  have 
responded  that  we  can  "  do  "  some  persons  in  less  time 
than  that ;  it  takes  scarcely  more  than  a  glance  to  arrive 
at  their  sum  total  of  national  arrogance  and  personal  con- 
ceit ;  but  Talleyrand  affirms  that  words  were  given  us 
to  enable  us  to  conceal  our  thoughts,  and  in  my  answer 
doubtless  they  fulfilled  their  mission. 

I  did  not  then  know  how  unfounded  was  the  gentle- 
man's assertion.  Nothing  worth  seeing  at  Matanzas? 
Had  he  never  seen  (or  only  failed  to  appreciate)  the 
beautiful,  far-reaching  views  from  the  Cumbre?  Had 
he  forgotten  the  Valley  of  Yumuri,  loveUest  and  ten- 
derest  landscape  that  ever  charmed  mortal  vision  ?  Did 
he  never  hear  of  the  soft  beauty  of  "Los  Molinos?" 
Had  he  never  felt  his  soul  rise  and  flutter  around  the 
grand,  blue  dome  of  the  "Pan,"  in  a  vain  attempt  to 


LAS  CUEVAS  BE  BELLAMAE,  141 

climb  to  the  full  moral  height  of  its  airy  sublimity? 
Let  me  record  it  here,  that  in  the  matter  of  pure  air  and 
lovely  scenery,  Matanzas  has  greatly  the  advantage  of 
Havana;  and  for  all  persons  who  can  content  them- 
selves outside  of  "  May  Fair,"  it  is  much  the  more  de- 
sirable residence.  Invalids,  especially,  should  never  pitch 
their  tents  in  Havana ;  almost  any  other  spot  in  Cuba, 
where  a  reasonable  amount  of  life's  comforts  can  be 
secured,  is  a  better  and  a  kindlier  abiding-place  for 
them. 

But  to  the  Caves !  Even  His  High  Superciliousness, 
from  across  the  Atlantic,  endorsed  them  as  worth  seeing ; 
and  inasmuch  as  we  do  not  intend  to  pass  by  on  the 
other  side  of  any  opportunity  of  doing  good — to  our- 
selves,— nor  of  letting  it  be  done  to  us  through  the 
revealings  of  that  spirit  of  beauty  which  is  so  nearly 
akin  to  the  spirit  of  love,  we  will  go  and  see  them ! 

In  accordance  with  the  hints  of  my  hostess,  I  donned 
for  the  expedition  certain  short  and  loose  garments  which 
would  neither  embarrass  motion  nor  suffer  quickly  from 
moisture,  and  which  had  already  established  some  small 
claim  upon  the  washtub ;  so  I  found  myself  a  veritable 
grub  among  butterflies  when  I  joined  the  other  ladies  of 
the  party,  whose  toilets  had  not  been  made  under  so 
wise  a  supervision.  The  sun  was  sending  long,  slanting 
beams  across  the  valley  when  our  volantes  were  set  in 
motion ;  and  some  fear  was  expressed  lest  night  should 
be  upon  us,  ere  our  inspection  of  the  caves  was  con- 
cluded. To  which  Don  Enrique  responded,  A\dth  a  grave 
face,  but  a  twinkling  eye,  that  "  as  caves  were  seen  to 


142  3fr  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

better  advantage  by  torchlight  than  daylight,  it  didn't 
much  matter !  "  Don  Gustavo,  a  travelled  Cuban,  who 
haS"  seen  something  of  most  countries  under  the  sun, 
and  picked  up  a  smattering  of  divers  tongues,  rode  on 
the  right  of  my  volante^  and  entertained  me  with  a 
cheerful  miscellany  of  four  languages,  which  had  but 
one  drawback — it  was  frequently  unintelligible.  The 
quickest  wits  will  now  and  then  lose  the  track  of  sen- 
tences that  begin  in  English,  slide  into  French  at  the 
first  stumble,  relieve  their  embarrassment  by  a  German 
expletive  or  two,  and  end  comfortably  in  the  speaker's 
native  Spanish. 

Our  route  first  lay  along  the  margin  of  the  bay, 
where  the  waves,  linking  hands,  came  rushing  up  almost 
to  the  horses'  feet,  like  troops  of  sportive  children,  and 
then  broke  and  retreated,  amid  shouts  of  laughter  and 
showers  of  spray.  Just  here,  making  the  most  of  the 
broad  outlook  over  the  water,  and  the  advantages  for 
sea-bathing,  boating,  etc.,  three  gentlemen  have  built 
summer  villas,  which,  being  the  fairest  examples  of 
their  kind  in  the  vicinity,  deserve  a  passing  notice. 
The  walls  are  stuccoed,  and  painted  in  bright  colors, 
with  facings  at  their  base,  three  or  four  feet  high,  of 
blue  and  white  Dutch  tiles,  figured  in  quaint  patterns, 
and  highly  polished.  In  front  is  a  broad  piazza,  with  a 
heavy  pediment,  supported  by  white  Doric  columns  ; 
and  through  the  wide-open  windows  we  catch  a  glimpse 
of  various  large  and  lofty  apartments,  all  eii  suite,  with 
cool  marble  floors  and  white  muslin  draperies,  and 
elegantly,   but    simply,  furnished.     In   the   midst   is   a 


LAS   CUEVAS  DE  BELLAJfAB.  143 

court,  with  a  sparkling  fountain  in  its  centre,  encircled 
with  broad-leaved  plants.  All  around  are  blooming 
gardens ;  and  lemon  and  orange  trees,  blossomy  and 
fruity,  lean  over  the  iron  railings.  A  group  of  dark- 
eyed  senoras  upon  the  piazza  completes  the  picture, 
and  inclines  one  to  think  that  suburban  life  in  Cuba  is 
as  enjoyable  as  anything  ought  to  be,  in  a  world  which 
one  must  some  time  quit. 

Just  beyond  is  a  group  of  wooden  houses,  which 
the  natives  point  out  as  a  curiosity — having  undergone 
a  sea  voyage  from  the  United  States,  together  with  a 
number  of  carpenters,  who  put  them  up  in  their  present 
position.  They  belong  to  the  common,  ugly  class  of 
tenement  houses ;  and  neither  their  bare,  clap-boarded 
sides,  nor  their  loop-holes  of  windows,  are  calculated  to 
impress  the  Cuban  mind  with  the  superiority  of  foreign 
over  native  architecture. 

A  short  distance  beyond  these,  our  road  turns  to 
the  south  and  begins  to  climb  the  hills,  which  cluster 
everywhere  around  Matanzas;  and  we  are  jolted  over 
stones  and  jerked  through  gullies,  at  a  rate  that  sets 
our  words  and  ideas  to  knockino;  their  heads  too^ether  in 
a  most  uncomfortable  and  bewildering  fashion.  I  won- 
der if  there  is  a  tolerable  country  road  in  all  Cuba ! 
Certainly,  such  a  one  as  we  are  now  toiling  over,  vdthin 
two  miles  of  the  second  city  in  the  island,  and  on  the 
route  to  Cardenas,  a  flourishing  seaport  town,  does  not 
promise  much  to  reward  further  investigation.  We  jog 
on  for  a  mile  or  two,  with  frequent  pauses  to  breathe 
the  jaded  horses,  until  we  reach  a  wide  extent  of  table 


144  Mr  WINTER  IN  CUBA, 

land,  and  trot  briskly  up  to  the  door  of  a  low,  wooden 
building  in  the  centre ;  when  our  postilions  drop  from 
their  saddles,  and  we  read  on  a  conspicuous  sign,  "  Las 
Cuevas  de  Bellamar "  (The  Caves  of  the  Beautiful 
Sea.)  Here  !  There  is  a  general  exclamation  of  sur- 
prise. I  own  myself  an  ignoramus  in  the  matter  of 
caves,  and  j^ossibly  my  anticipations  were  as  absurd  as 
they  are  j^roved  to  be  unfounded;  but  I  certainly 
expected  to  find  the  entrance  to  our  subterranean  desti- 
nation in  the  side  of  a  cliff,  or  at  the  bottom  of  a  ravine, 
or  in  some  other  place  giving  evidence  of  former  convul- 
sions of  nature.  To  come  upon  it,  therefore,  under  a 
prosaic  shanty,  in  the  midst  of  a  broad  plain,  smiling 
and  peaceful  as  if  it  had  never  known  change  or  disturb- 
ance since  Eden  blossomed  under  the  footsteps  of 
Eve,  was  utterly  subversive  of  all  pre-arranged  ideas; 
and  I  alighted  in  a  state  of  extreme  humility,  minded  to 
take  whatever  came  thereafter,  and  be  thankful. 

While  Cecilio  registered  the  party  in  the  visitors' 
book,  I  strolled  around  the  room,  and  noticed  its  attrac- 
tions. Divers  views  of  the  caves  adorned  its  walls,  to 
give  visitors  a  foretaste  of  the  wonders  awaiting  them, 
and  several  cases  of  stalactites  stood  around,  by  way  of 
further  whetting  of  the  appetite;  while  a  stand  of 
refreshments,  with  a  goodly  array  of  bottles,  performed 
the  same  office,  in  a  more  literal  sense.  In  the  centre 
was  a  covered  staircase  leading — to  the  bottomless  pit, 
I  conclud'e,  after  looking  down  !  for  I  see  the  steps  fade 
away  through  various  gradations  of  dimness  into  dark- 
ness and  nothingness  ; — and  this  is  the  entrance  to  the 
Caves ! 


LAS   CUEVAS  DE  DELLAMAR.  145 

The  guides  are  now  ready  with  flaming  torches,  and 
we  commence  our  descent.  In  due  time  we  touch  bot- 
tom, and  find  ourseh'es  standing  in  the  midst  of  the 
"  Gothic  Temple," — the  largest  of  the  caves,  though 
scarcely  the  most  attractive,  at  present.  For  the  stalac- 
tites being  so  near  the  entrance,  have  been  somewhat 
soiled  by  the  admission  of  outer  air  and  dust,  and  have 
lost  much  of  that  luminous  whiteness  which  is  one  of 
their  chief  beauties.  Still,  the  forms  of  pillars  and 
arches  are  very  perfect  and  majestic,  and  we  gaze 
silently,  with  a  mixture  of  wonder  and  awe.  Pulpit 
and  altar  there  is  none.  Xature  is  the  priestess,  and 
she  ofiers  the  living  sacrifice  of  hearts  that  are  hushed 
beneath  the  vast  dome  into  mute  praise  and  fervent 
love.  The  guide  tells  us  that,  two  or  three  years  ago, 
the  Bishop  of  Matanzas  held  a  service  here,  with  crowds 
of  people  to  witness  it, — an  esthetic  performance  of 
which  I  should  never  have  suspected  that  stout,  round- 
faced,  yet  most  dignified  and  reverend  prelate.  What  a 
spectacle  it  must  have  been  !  The  gorgeous  vestments 
of  the  priests,  the  wreathing  lights,  the  clouds  of 
incense,  the  solemn  roll  of  chant  and  anthem  among 
these  grand  pillars  and  arches,  covered  from  broad  base 
to  airy  summit  with  the  minutest  and  delicatest  tracery 
of  frostwork! 

At  one  extremity,  pendent  over  a  deep  chasm,  is  a 
mighty  stalactite,  wliicli  looks  like  a  stately  human  form 
wrapped  in  the  Roman  toga.  I  thought  of  Curtius ; — 
it  needed  but  the  horse  to  make  the  old  Latin  tradition 
visible  to  modern  eyes,  in   strange,  ghostly  characters, 


146  Jir   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

that  may  be  older  than  itself.  The  fissure  is  of  unknown 
depth ;  I  threw  in  a  stone,  and  lieard  it  tossed  back  and 
forth  adown  the  rocky  sides,  till  the  sounds  died  away 
into  silence. 

Leaving  the  "  Temple,"  we  are  led  by  a  rough, 
rocky  j^ath  to  the  "  Gallery  of  Icicles ;  "  the  roof  being 
adorned  with  clustering,  pointed  pendants  of  translucent 
stalactites,  and  the  floor  with  tapering  masses  of  corres- 
pondent stalagmites,  except  where  a  path  has  been 
cleared. 

Farther  on,  the  empire  of  Fantasy  begins,  and  her 
lovely  or  grotesque  creations  confront  us  at  every  step 
and  beckon  from  every  corner.  Each  stalactite  takes 
the  shape  of  leaf  or  blossom,  insect  or  animal,  in  such 
bewildering  profusion  of  beauty  or  oddity  that  it  is  im- 
possible to  take  note  of  all ;  the  whole  being  a  rich  kalei- 
doscopic mystery  that  changes  with  every  change  of  the 
position  of  the  spectator.  Here,  an  arch  Cupid  peeps 
out  from  a  mass  of  tangled  vines ;  there,  a  spray  of 
leaves  and  blossoms  charms  us  with  its  delicate  finish ; 
here  is  an  owl,  and  there  is  a  cat ;  and  yonder  a  stalag- 
mite which,  when  the  guide's  torch  is  held  behind  it, 
becomes  "  A  Lady's  Skirt," — soft,  sheer  folds  of  snowy 
muslin,  with  a  dainty,  fluted  flounce  at  bottom !  Farther 
along,  the  exquisite  purity  and  loveliness  of  a  "  Yase  of 
Flowers,"  seemingly  carved  out  of  dazzling  pearl,  leaves 
us  no  room  for  incredulity  at  the  guide's  statement  that 
a  certain  rich  American  ofiered  two  thousand  dollars  for 
it,  and  w^as  refused — as  he  ought  to  have  been  ;  other- 
wise the  cave  would  have  lost  one  of  its  chiefest  adorn- 
ments. 


LAS   CUEVAS  DE  BELLAMAR.  147 

Tlie  traditionary  step  between  the  sublime  and  the 
ridiculous  is  much  shortened  here ;  often  there  is  only 
a  handbreadth  between  loveliness  and  deformity,  and 
frequently  the  two  run  together  in  queer  combinations 
of  a  lily  growing  out  of  an  ugly,  horny  head,  or  a  bird's 
wing  attached  to  a  rough,  shapeless  excrescence.  Me- 
thought  I  had  hit  upon  visible  types  of  a  moral  fact. 
The  continual,  unnoted  accretions  of  daily  life  shape 
characters  into  forms  as  imperfect  and  incongruous  as 
these;  the  sweetest  flowers  of  devotion  and  loyalty 
sometimes  blossom  out  of  the  foulest  relations,  vices 
branch  off  into  virtues,  good  and  evil  are  inextricably 
blended,  and  only  God  can  tell  which  shall  ultimately 
predominate.  But  may  He  not,  out  of  the  fulness  of  His 
power  and  patience,  bring  all  these  unfinished  material 
forms  to  final  perfection  and  beauty  ?  And  is  He  not 
also,  by  the  light  touches  of  circumstance,  and  the  silent 
influences  of  His  Spirit,  rounding  into  symmetry  charac- 
ters that  now  seem  odd  and  ineffective  jumbles  of  inhar- 
monious elements  ? 

A  pair  of  stalactites  which  have  succeeded  in  joining 
their  stalagmites  below,  and  grown  into  a  remote  resem- 
blance to  human  limbs,  are  introduced  to  us  as  "  Maxi- 
milian's Legs," — christened,  doubtless,  in  days  when 
the  name  of  the  unfortunate  Austrian  prince  was  more 
easily  associated  with  mirthful  ideas  than  now.  Here- 
abouts, I  am  the  Columbia  who  first  discovers  to  the 
Avorld  a  fair,  white,  crystalline — pig !  alike  ignorant 
of  swill  and  mud  puddles;  and  it  will  probably  be 
pointed  out  to  succeeding  visitors  as  the  "American 


148  3fr   WINTER   IX  CUBA. 

Lady's  Pig."  For  ^ve  are  now  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
"  English  Lady's  Bath ; "  and  all  ^v]\o  wish  to  behold  it, 
are  invited,  singly,  to  go  down  on  all  fours,  and  follow 
the  guide  into  a  small,  dark  aperture  at  the  right. 
Crawling  through  mud  and  water  for  a  yard  or  tAvo, 
and  knocking  my  head  against  divers  projecting  points, 
I  am  rewarded  by  the  sight  of  a  small,  circular  apart- 
ment, with  three  or  four  feet  of  clear  water  at  its 
bottom;  wherein,  I  am  assured,  a  certain  "Inglesa" 
once  insisted  on  bathing,  whence  its  name.  As  there  is 
no  standing-room  within  the  apartment,  and  the  irreg- 
ular, dirty  j)ath  outside  oiFers  small  accommodation  for 
toilet  purposes,  one  doubts  if  the  lady's  comfort  were 
much  increased  by  the  indulgence  of  the  whim !  Albeit, 
we  are  dripping  Avith  perspiration,  because  of  the 
extreme  heat,  and  our  temples  throbbing,  by  reason 
of  the  confined  air ;  so  we  accej^t  an  invitation  to  drink 
from  the  scoring,  and  find  the  water  quite  palatable, 
though  its  temperature  does  not  suggest  an  Arctic 
origin. 

We  next  enter  "  Benediction  Hall,"  which  shows  no 
fitness  for  its  name,  that  I  can  discover,  but  where  the 
white  stalactites  cluster  in  even  greater  opulenc.e  of  love- 
liness, and  wilder  fantasy,  than  elsewhere  ;  and  we  pant 
with  an  oppressive  sense  that  a  flood  of  undetected  beau- 
ty is  surging  over  us,  of  which  we  can  grasp  and  keep 
only  the  minutest  fraction.  If  we  turn  back  a  moment, 
fresh  graces  blossom  out  under  our  eyes,  airy  creations 
have  sprung  up  magically  since  we  looked  there  last, 
and  as  many  more  are  waiting  to  surprise  us  if  we  look 


LAS   CUEVAS  BE  BELLA^FAR,  149 

again.  There  are  exquisite  and  marvellous  specimens 
of  flowers,  foliage,  and  vines,  twined  by  the  fairies, 
doubtless ;  with  things  ineffably  absurd  thrown  in,  here 
and  there,  by  some  mischievous  gnome  or  elf.  The  in- 
finite fulness  of  beauty,  and  the  variety  and  fertility  of 
grotesque  extravagance,  are  altogether  confusing  and 
indescribable ;  to  examine  them  thoroughly  would  take 
a  lifetime.  At  the  farther  end,  a  stately  row  of  alabas- 
ter organ-pipes,  in  a  case  of  daintiest  frostwork  and 
pearl,  causes  us  to  wonder  why  it  w^as  not  placed  in  the 
"Gothic  Temple"  yonder, — an  inquiry  to  which  the 
oracles  of  the  cave  return  no  answer.  Its  beauty  takes 
on  a  more  transparent,  ethereal  grace,  as  tlie  guides' 
torches  are  held  behind  it;  and  that  beautiful  term, 
"  frozen  music,"  is  no  longer  a  purely  poetic  conception, 
but  lives  in  my  memory  henceforth,  a  divinely  white, 
airy,  exquisite  actuality. 

By  this  time  we  have  learned  that  our  guides  are 
not  only  dispensers  of  light — material  and  metaphor- 
ical,— but  careful  guardians  of  the  caves'  treasures  also, 
keeping  strict  watch  over  us,  and  interposing  quickly  be- 
tween the  stalactites  and  any  despoiling  hand.^  There 
is  reason  in  the  precaution,  for  if  each  visitor  were  al- 
lowed to  break  and  carry  away  at  will,  there  would  soon 
be  nothing  left  but  the  mangled  remains  of  these  lovely 
creations,  wrought  by  the  light,  magical  touches  of  cen- 
turies of  falling  drops.  Many  of  them  are  unspeakably 
delicate  and  fragile,  crumbling  under  the  softest  touch, 
obliterated  by  any  accidental  pressure ;  the  floor  of  the 
cave  is  covered  Avith  their  white  fragments.     Neverthe- 


150  MY   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

less,  to  a  born  curiosity-lover,  like  myself,  tlie  idea  of 
quitting  this  realm  of  enchantment  -without  a  single  me- 
mento of  its  wonders  is  intolerable  ;  but  linger  and 
watch  as  I  may,  I  am  sure  to  find  a  pair  of  dark,  bright 
eyes  fixed,  upon  me.  The  most  persistent  pair  belongs 
to  a  young  negro,  who  brings  up  the  rear  of  the  2)roces- 
sion ;  evidently,  he  has  orders  to  leave  no  one  behind 
him.  Determined  not  to  be  baflied,  however,  I  adopt 
another  set  of  tactics.  Turning  suddenly  upon  my  eb- 
ony follower,  in  the  midst  of  a  narrow,  tortuous,  ascend- 
ing path,  I  hold  up  to  his  view  a  bright  silver  piece, 
point  to  the  stalactites,  and  motion  him  to  pass  on.  The 
dark  imp  is  neither  obtuse  nor  incorruptible.  He  grins, 
marches  forward,  holding  his  torch  at  a  convenient  angle 
over  his  shoulder,  and  looking  straight  forward ;  Avhile 
I  hastily  secure  two  tolerable  specimens,  and  go  on  my 
way  rejoicing.  So  does  he,  and  I  suspect  that  he  had 
still  further  cause  for  self-gratulation ;  for  on  reporting 
my  stratagem  and  its  success  to  one  of  my  companions, 
she  assumed  my  jDOsition  in  the  rear,  and  I  went  forward 
to  cross-question  the  head  guide  about  the  caves ;  think- 
ing that  it  might  be  well  to  keep  his  attention  occupied 
at  this  juncture.  Virtue  is  ever  its  own  reward  !  I 
gathered  a  quantity  of  information  which  I  should  oth- 
erwise have  missed. 

The  entrance  to  the  caves  was  once  the  site  of  a 
lime-kiln,  the  bottom  of  which  suddenly  "fell  out"  one 
day,  to  the  consternation  of  the  owner,  and  his  lime 
vanished  from  sight.  He  and  his  assistant,  when  they 
had  eufl^iciently  recovered  from  their  fright,  set  their 


LAS   CUEVAS  DE  BELLA JfAE,  151 

wits  to  work  on  the  subject,  and  reached  the  wise  con- 
chision  that  they  had  happened  upon  a  mine  of  precious 
metal,  or  a  receptacle  of  hidden  treasure.  Swearing 
each  other  to  secresy,  and  agreeing  to  share  the  profits, 
the  one  remained  upon  guard,  while  the  other  set  forth 
to  buy  up  the  land  in  the  immediate  vicinity ;  which, 
not  being  deemed  very  valuable,  he  secured  at  a  mod- 
erate price.  Exploration  was  the  next  thing  to  be 
thought  of ;  and  after  much  deliberation  and  hesitation, 
the  more  courageous  of  the  twain  consented  to  be  let 
down  through  the  opening  by  a  strong  rope,  with  a  light 
in  one  hand,  and  a  signal  cord  in  the  other.  He  went 
down — down — down !  to  what  seemed  to  him  a  fright- 
ful depth,  when  his  courage  gave  out,  he  -jDuUed  the 
cord,  and  was  drawn  up  without  having  touched  bot- 
tom; reporting  that  he  had.  seen  an  immense  vaulted 
roof,  flashing  with  cliainonds — and  nothing  more  !  This 
was,  of  course,  the  "  Gothic  Temple,"  in  its  pristine 
whiteness  and  brilliancy.  What  an  awfully  grand  sight 
it  must  have  been  to  the  terrified  observer,  suspended  in 
mid  air  under  its  arched  ceiling,  and  between  its  stately 
columns,  whose  bases  were  lost  in  the  depth  and  dark- 
ness of  the  unknown  Below!  Farther  experiment  re- 
vealed the  real  nature  of  his  possession  to  the  disap- 
pointed purchaser;  yet  his  treasure  was  not  j)roven  al- 
together  "magician's  coin;"  for  the  caves  attract  large 
numbers  of  visitors,  who  are  made  to  pay  well  for  the 
sight,  and  have  turned  out  a  veritable  mine  of  wealth  to 
the  owner,  albeit  not  just  of  the  sort  he  anticipated. 
It  takes  time  and  labor  to  prepare  the  galleries  for 


152  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA, 

the  reception  of  visitors ;  the  stalagmites  must  be  cleared 
from  the  path,  irregularities  smoothed  down,  and  chasms 
"bridsred.  This  lias  been  done  for  three  miles  from  the 
entrance,  by  two  different  routes,  so  that  the  visitor 
needs  not  to  pass  twice  over  the  same  ground.  And  the 
guide  stated  that  other  galleries,  not  yet  made  ready  for 
visitors,  had  been  explored,  to  a  much  greater  distance 
than  those  now  open ;  and  that  in  one  of  these  was  a 
lake  that  must  be  crossed  by  means  of  boats.  So  the 
Mammoth  Cave  of  Kentucky  may  yet  find  a  formidable 
rival  in  her  Cuban  sister,  when  the  full  extent  and  at- 
tractions of  the  latter  are  made  known. 

It  was  aggravating  to  hear  of  these  added  wonders, 
and  not  be  allowed  to  behold  them;  still,  our  first  en- 
thusiasm was  beginning  to  flag,  we  were  drij^ping,  pant- 
ing, and  weary,  and  when  we  reflected  that  there  were 
still  two  or  three  miles  of  fresh  enchantments  between 
us  and  egress,  resignation  was  not  unattainable.  Our 
return-path  led  through  new  variations  of  white  splen- 
dor,— dainty  carvings,  and  quaint  distortions,  and  dim 
ghost-peopled  vistas, — infinite  in  detail,  but  similar,  in 
general  effect,  to  the  galleries  already  visited.  Four 
stalactites  of  great  beauty  and  perfection  deserve  special 
notice.  The  "  Virgin's  Mantle,  " — rich,  graceful  folds, 
of  a  delicate  rose-tint  and  satiny  texture,  all  glistening 
and  glittering  with  brilliants.  The  "  Lake  of  Dahlias,  " 
— a  frozen  pool,  studded  wdth  curious  involuted  projec- 
tions, of  a  tawny  yellow.  The  "  Three  Angels,  " — a 
triad  of  white  figures,  sitting  side  by  side,  in  an  attitude 
of  grief,  with  drooping  wings  and  veiled  faces,  any  one 


LAS   CUEVAS  BE  BELLAMAR.  153 

of  wliicli  might  serve  for  a  representation  of  Bailey's 
Earth-Angel,  who  was  "ever  weeping."  Last,  and  I 
think,  most  beautiful — though  it  is  hard  to  choose  where 
all  are  so  lovely,  and  each  has  its  own  peculiar  and  ex- 
ceeding charm — a  seemingly  frozen  waterfall, — sheet 
and  foam  arrested  and  mute,  yet  clear  and  bubbly  still, 
and  absolutely  flashing  and  flaming  and  dancing  with 
light,  from  every  point,  as  the  guides  wave  their  torches 
before  it.  This  has  received  the  expressive  name  of  the 
"  Cascade  of  Diamonds." 

So  we  bade  adieu  to  this  realm  of  the  gnomes  and 
wizards,  and  climbed  that  detestable  staircase,  pausing 
to  rest  now  and  then,  and  wondering  not  that  the 
first  explorer  refused  to  be  dropped  all  at  once  into 
those  dim  depths  and  mysterious  vastnesses ;  and  finally 
emerged  into  upper  air  and  daylight,  to  laugh  (when  we 
had  gotten  breath  enough)  at  the  queer  figures  we 
made.  Boots  had  sunken  all  distinctions  but  that  of 
size  under  one  thick,  democratic  coat  of  mud ;  skirts 
were  wofully  splashed  and  stained ;  sleeves  and  collar 
limp  and  shapeless;  hair  totally  unconscious  of  crimp 
and  innocent  of  curl.  Tlie  grub  came  best  out  of  this 
ordeal ;  the  butterflies  looked  as  if  drenched  and  blight- 
ed by  a  sudden  shower,  and  utterly  deprived  of  their 
moral  expression. 

The  guide  advised  us  to  pace  the  room  awhile,  until 
we  were  somewhat  accustomed  to  the  comparative  cool- 
ness of  the  upper  air,  if  we  desired  to  escape  colds ;  so 
I  obediently  dragged  my  weary  frame  up  and  down, 
while  my  friends  rebelliously  sank  on  the  nearest  settee, 
Y* 


154  3ir   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

and  amused  themselves — and  me — with  witty  commen- 
tary on  my  performance.  The  "  best,  last  laugh "  was 
mine  next  day,  when  one  was  reported  in  bed  with  rheu- 
matism, and  another  speechless  from  hoarseness. 

Our  ride  home  by  moonlight  was  charming  enough 
to  merit  a  separate  paragraph ;  but  having  already  said 
enough  in  praise  of  the  Cuban  Luna  to  be  set  down  as 
hopelessly  moonstruck,  I  forbear,  on  the  present  occa- 
Bion,  at  much  cost  of  inclination. 


CHAPTER  XVL 


A  PROCESSIOX. 


npilME  was  when  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  was  a 
power  in  Cuba ;  but  a  military  despotism  cannot 
safely  tolerate  any  rival  authority,  and  she  was  long 
ago  forced  into  a  subordinate  and  almost  slavish  position. 
The  government  owns  all  the  church  edifices  and  other 
property;  appoints  and  removes  the  clergy,  when  it 
chooses;  fixes  their  salaries;  and  in  short,  exercises 
whatever  authority,  in  ecclesiastical  matters,  it  is  its 
pleasure  to  assume.  The  results  are  a  sad  lack  of 
religious  control  and  discipline — very  obsers^able  in  the 
almost  iiniversal  disregard  of  the  Lord's  Day,  and 
in  certain  dissolute  practices  of  both  clergy  and  laity, — 
and  a  want  of  moral  power  in  the  Church,  which  is  one 
great  .cause,  doubtless,  of  the  extreme  prevalence  of 
practical  infidelity  among  the  male  population.  A 
bishop  cannot  remove  a  presbyter,  except  by  resort  to  a 
tribunal  where  the  government  has  a  voice,  and  is  certain 
to  have  its  way,  in  the  end;  which  way  is  extremely 
likely  to  be  influenced  by  other  than  spiritual  motives, 
and  to  tend  toward  other  than  spiritual  ends.  The 
civil  law  allows  slaves  their  time  on  Sundays,  outside 
of  a  certain  limit,  in  order  to  enable  them  to  purchase 


156  3£r  WINTER  IN  CUBA, 

tlieir  freedom,  if  they  wish ;  and  many  persons  choose  to 
employ  them  on  that  day,  from  lack  of  principle,  or  out 
of  charitable  considerations;  so  that  it  is  quite  common 
to  see  housecleaning,  whitewashing,  painting,  etc.,  pur- 
posely postponed  to  the  Lord's  Day.  Whites  and  quad- 
roons, or  mulattoes,  live  together  in  open  concubinage, 
for  tlie  civil  law  prohibits  the  intermarriage  of  the 
races ;  and  they  avoid  the  Church,  because  she,  since  she 
is  not  allowed  to  marry  them,  must  needs  put  an  end  to 
such  relations,  ere  she  receives  them  into  her  bosom. 
These  things  are  no  small  obstacles  to  the  Church's 
work  and  influence,  even  where  there  are  earnest  desire 
an(ir  effort  to  do  the  one  faithfully,  and  exert  the  other 
beneficially. 

This  much  is  patent  to  the  most  casual  observer  of  the 
religious  life  of  the  Island,  and  I  do  not  claim  to  be 
much  more  than  that.  I  early  discovered  that  it  was 
the  merest  waste  of  time,  and  most  useless  torture  of 
feeling,  for  me  to  attend  the  services  of  the  Ilomish 
Church  with  any  purpose  of  devotion,  or  hope  of  benefit ; 
although  I  did  my  best  to  go  in  the  spirit  of  sympathy, 
and  not  of  oj^position,  with  a  genuine  desire  to  find 
points  of  agreement  rather  than  of  difierence,  and  hold- 
ing fast  to  the  theory  that  an  earnest  and  spiritually 
minded  Christian  may  pray  anywhere,  beside  anybody, 
and  be  nothing  the  worse  for  it.  Unfortunately  for  the 
theory,  I  found  it  impossible,  in  practice,  to  shut  my 
ears  to  prayers  addressed  to  the  Virgin  and  saints,  or 
my  eyes  to  observances  which  I  inwardly  stigmatized  as 
"  profane  mummery  j "  and  which  stirred  my  soul  to 


A    PROCESSION.  157 

indignant  protest,  or  cool  disdain,  or  set  me  to  rehears- 
ing all  the  long  controversy  between  Rome  and  the 
Church  Catholic,  until  I  was  in  no  frame  of  mind  to  be 
benefited  by  Avhatever  shreds  of  purity  of  doctrine,  or 
beauty  of  ritual,  the  former  might  have  to  offer  me. 
Xor  could  I  settle  it  comfortably  with  my  conscience  to 
make  these  services,  Sunday  after  Sunday,  a  spectacle 
or  a  study ;  knowing  well  that  the  study  was  not  in 
the  cause  of  truth,  but  for  the  gratification  of  curiosity. 
I  was  driven,  therefore,  to  the  conclusion  that  a  quiet 
reading  of  our  own  helpful  and  satisfying  Liturgy,  in 
my  own  room,  was  the  best,  as  it  was  the  most  conven- 
ient, method  of  fulfilling  the  letter  and  spirit  of  -the 
fourth  commandment,  and  sharing  the  "  Communion  of 
Saints,"  which  was  open  to  me. 

NcA'crtheless,  I  have  witnessed  various  services  and 
ceremonies,  at  odd  times,  and  certain  domestic  observ- 
ances have  come  under  my  observation,  which  may  fur- 
nish matter  for  thought  and  interest. 

On  my  first  coming  to  Matanzas,  I  went  to  see  a 
"^:)«so,"  or  procession, — a  religious  ceremonial  with 
which  Protestants,  and  even  Komanists,  in  the  iTnited 
States,  have  no  acquaintance ;  except  in  an  extremely 
limited  and  modified  form.  Certain  crowded,  squalid 
quarters  of  Matanzas,  chiefly  inhabited  by  blacks  and 
coolies,  have  been  severely  visited  with  small-pox 
during  the  winter ;  and  this  paso  was  designed  as  a 
propitiatory  act,  to  procure  an  abatement  of  the  epi- 
demic. At  dusk,  our  carriage  took  a  position  at  the 
corner  of  the  "  Plaza  de  Armas,"  directly  on  the  route 


158  3ir  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

of  the  procession ;  where,  for  an  hour,  we  awaited  its 
aj)pearance,  while  the  croAvd  grew  dense  and  denser 
around  us,  until  the  Plaza  surged  with  a  sea  of  human 
heads,  and  the  street  behind  us  was  packed  with  veliicles 
and  spectators.  The  orderliness  of  the  vast  multitude  was 
one  of  its  pleasantest  characteristics, — no  ill  humor,  no 
shouldering,  no  fighting,  no  incivility,  though  the  great 
mass  of  those  on  foot  were  of  the  lower  orders  of 
society.  "  Sefior  "  and  "  senora  "  resounded  on  all  sides, 
as  courteously  exchanged  between  housemaid  and  hod- 
carrier  as  between  countess  and  general ;  and  the  crowd 
swayed  to  and  fro  with  as  much  unanimity  as  the  waves, 
yielding  to  the  regular  motion  of  the  tides.  Less  agree- 
able, though  not  less  noticeable,  was  its  evil  odor.  The 
daily  pint  of  water,  allowed  to  people  of  the  better  sort, 
probably  shrinks  to  some  quantity  not  worth  mention- 
ino^,  amouG:  the  lower  classes. 

By  and  by,  the  universal  patience  was  rewarded  by 
the  vision  of  a  long  line  of  thick,  clustering  lights 
descending  the  Cumbre,  far  away  to  the  right,  and 
apparently  sailing  by  its  own  volition  on  a  sea  of  dark- 
ness, or  obedient  to  the  waving  of  an  unseen  magician's 
wand ;  which  curious  and  beautiful  illusion  was  the 
prettiest  sight  of  the  evening.  Very  slowly  the  lights 
approached,  heralded  by  the  notes  of  a  band  of  music, 
and  preceded  by  two  or  three  companies  of  cavalry  to 
clear  the  way.  Then  appeared  a  considerable  company 
of  negro-women,  all  dressed  in  white,  and  euch  bearing 
a  flaming  torch, — said  to  be,  without  excej^tion,  mourn- 
ers for  friends  who  had  fallen  victims  to  the  pestilence. 


A    PROCESSION.  159 

They  were  succeeded  by  a  heterogeneous  mass  of  women 
and  children,  black  and  mulatto,  all  carrying  torches, 
and  dressed  in  every  sort  of  gaud  and  gew-gaw  wherein 
the  African  heart  delighteth  ;  grand  with  long,  sweeping 
trains,  and  marching  on  with  tliat  stately,  erect,  easy  car- 
riage which  is  theirs  by  right  of  their  universal  practice 
of  carrying  heavy  burdens  on  their  heads.  Next  came  a 
gigantic  negro,  a  true  Anak  of  his  race,  ringing  a  large 
dinner  bell  ("  only  that  and  nothing  more  !  ")  with  all 
his  might  and  main,  and  with  evident  relish  of  his  per- 
formance ; — he  being  the  avant  courier  of  a  certain  St. 
Sebastien,  a  life-sized  figure,  borne,  on  a  platform,  on 
the  shoulders  of  four  stout  men.  Xow,  hats  began  to 
come  off  in  the  crowd,  in  token  that  an  element  of  solem- 
nity had  been  introduced  into  the  scene, — a  thing  sadly 
lacking  hitherto.  I  looked  very  scrutinizingly  at  the 
image,  but,  knowing  nothing  whatever  of  the  character 
and  achievements  of  the  said  Saint,  to  add  any  ideal  or 
derived  lustre  to  his  image,  I  was  unable  to  discover 
anything  in  its  bare  literalness,  but  an  ugly,  brown, 
semi-nude,  and  altogether  inartistic  representation  of  the 
human  figure ;  the  complexion  of  which  forced  me  to 
conclude  that,  like  Murillo,  Placido,  and  other  persons 
of  genius,  the  saint  had  African  blood  in  his  veins.  Fol- 
lowing him  was  a  large  body  of  torch-bearing  men, 
corresponding  in  color  to  their  patron  and  leader. 

A  second  bell-ringer  now  smoothed  the  way  for  the 
passage  of  the  Virgin,  in  the  shape  of  a  doll,  two  or 
three  feet  high,  in  great  magnificence  of  golden  and 
jewelled  array.     Her  platform  was  decorated  with  flow- 


160  3/r  VnNTER  IN  CUBA. 

ers  and  tinsel,  guarded  at  the  corners  by  small  gilded 
cherubim,  and  escorted  by  three  or  four  priests  in  their 
robes.  More  hats  were  now  lowered,  and  I  saw  some 
lips  moving  in  prayer,  which  served  to  check  the 
somewhat  irreverent  coursQ.  of  comment  in  which  we 
were  indulging,  lest  w^e  might  be  giving  offence  to  some 
of  these  "  little  ones,"  children  in  faith,  if  not  in  fact. 
Then  came  another  long  file  of  torch-bearers,  but  the 
Virgin  had  wrought  a  change  of  color — miraculously, 
or  otherwise, — and  whites  now  filled  the  ranks  of  the 
procession ;  yet  it  Avas  j^lainly  to  be  seen  that  the  repre- 
sentation was  chiefly  drawn  from  the  lower  classes. 

Next,  appeared  a  large  crucifix,  with  a  life-sized 
figure  of  the  Saviour,  fashioned  Avith  the  usual  minute 
and  revolting  attention  to  details.  I  could  have  com- 
pounded, thankfully,  for  a  dozen  Virgins,  and  any  com- 
putable number  of  saints,  in  the  place  of  this  one 
crucifix ; — seeing  it,  I  became  sensible  that,  somewhere 
in  my  veins,  there  must  run  one  great  drop  of  blood, 
directly  inherited  from  some  uncompromising  iconoclast, 
of  Cromwellian  times.  It  was  borne  by  black-robed 
priests,  and  followed  by  a  small  company  of  ecclesias- 
tical, civil,  and  military  dignitaries  ;  each  with  his  torch, 
and  all  in  excellent  humor,  apparently,  for  the  sound  of 
their  half-suppressed  chat  and  laughter  broke  somewhat 
harshly  upon  the  surrounding  silence.  All  hats  were 
lifted,  as  the  crucifix  passed  ;  the  crowd  crossed  itself 
reverently,  and  the  hush  was  general  and  prolonged. 

A  band  of  music  playing  a  dirge-like  march,  and  a 
regiment  of  infantry,  closed  the  procession.     The  line  of 


A  procession:  161 

lights  defiled  slowly  down  tlic  street,  and  disappeared 
under  the  black  arch  of  the  Cathedral  as  instantaneously 
and  completely  as  if  it  had  been  the  Gate  of  Oblivion. 
I  could  have  wished  it  were — for  certain  adjuncts  of  the 
ceremony ! 

As  a  sanitary  measure,  the  procession  failed  lament- 
ably. Kothing  short  of  a  miracle  could  have  prevented 
its  legitimate  effect, — to  spread  contagion,  and  increase 
the  pestilence.  A  few  days  later,  the  government,  tak- 
ing a  more  sensible  view  of  the  situation,  issued  an 
order  prohibiting  all  crowds,  for  any  purpose  whatever, 
and  enforcing  certain  precautions  and  restrictions ; 
which,  after  some  weeks,  w^as  followed  by  a  marked 
abatement  of  the  disease.  Still  later,  the  city  was 
officially  declared  free  from  epidemic  ;  and  thereupon,  a 
Te  Demn  was  appointed  to  be  sung  in  the  cathedral,  at 
which  the  reader  is  invited  to  "  assist "  in  the  next 
chaj^ter.  As  the  Comandante^  with  his  staff  and  escort, 
is  to  be  present,  it  will  be  necessary  to  go  early. 


CHAPTER  XYIL 

A   TE    DEUM. 

*1V  T"ATANZAS  has  but  three  churches  for  the  accom- 
modation of  its  forty  thousand  souls ;  and  of 
these,  the  Cathedral  only  will  repay  the  stranger's  visit. 
It  is  a  structure  of  dark  stone,  with  nothing  impressive 
about  it,  but  its  size  and  its  aspect  of  hoar  antiquity. 
The  Cuban  climate  has  a  knack  of  dealing  with  build- 
ings of  comparatively  modern  date  in  a  way  to  make 
them  look  as  if  they  had  witnessed  the  lapse  of  centu- 
ries ;  therefore  this  gray  old  edifice,  upon  which  it  has 
been  at  work  for  nearly  two  hundred  slow-paced  years, 
must  needs  have  acquired  a  look  of  extreme  venerable- 
ness.  In  truth,  its  severe  plainness,  approaching  to 
shabbiness,  seems  but  the  natural  condition  of  its  time 
of  life.  It  has  outlasted  all  taste  for  adornment,  all 
Grecian  and  Gothic  vanities,  all  care  for  keeping  up 
appearances,  and  comfortably  slidden  into  the  white- 
headed,  broad-brimmed,  loose-coated,  and  slip-shod 
period  of  architecture,  corresponding  to  the  same  epoch 
in  the  life  of  man.  It  is  flanked  by  two  rough  towers, 
the  taller  of  which  is  not  without  architectural  pleasant- 
ness to  the  eye,  and  moreover,  contains  a  fine  chime  of 
bells. 


A    TE  DEUM.  1G3 

TVithin,  it  is  vast,  dim,  and  bare.  There  is  an  acre  or 
two  of  stone  flags,  by  way  of  floor,  but  in  a  state  of 
chronic  insurrection  and  upheaval,  in  the  nave,  and,  in 
front  of  the  altar  and  shrines,  worn  away  by  the  rever- 
ential footsteps  of  many  successive  generations  of  peni- 
tents, now  slowdy  crumbling  into  dust.  There  are  also 
divers  large,  lofty,  sombre-browed  columns,  sturdily  set- 
ting themselves  to  their  age-long  task  of  supporting  the 
ponderous,  cavernous,  gloomy  arch  of  the  roof;  also  a 
high  altar  of  white  marble ;  and  furthermore,  nothing 
but  a  musty  odor  of  vanished  years,  a  harsli-toned, 
severe-tempered  organ,  and  the  shrines,  pictures,  relics, 
etc.,  which  are  common  to  all  Romish  churches. 

Our  hour  of  waiting  serves  to  record  these  particu- 
lars, and  to  watch  the  arrival  of  Matanzas's  female  aris- 
tocracy. They  gather  in  great  strength ;  the  vast  ampli^ 
tude  of  the  nave  is  soon  filled  with  prayer-carpets, 
kneeling  figures  in  black  dresses  and  mantillas,  flutterino- 
fans,  missals,  and  rosaries.  From  pillar  to  pillar,  a 
single  row  of  benches  forms  a  kind  of  barricade  around 
them,  outside  of  which  gentlemen  crowd,  in  such  num- 
bers that  there  is  danger  of  this  slight  defence  being 
carried  by  inadvertency. 

At  nine  o'clock,  the  chimes  break  upon  the  ear,  T\ath 
a  somewhat  unsatisfactory  tone,  it  must  be  confessed; 
attributable,  doubtless,  to  the  fact  that  they  are  not 
rung,  but  beaten  with  iron  bars,  by  a  dozen  stout 
negroes ;  which  indignity  the  grand,  old  bells  resent,  as 
they  have  a  right  to  do,  by  keeping  their  wealth  of 
sonorous  music   pent  up  within  them,  and  giving  out 


164  3/r  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

only  a  dead,  muffled  sound,  which  savors  more  of  protest 
than  jubilation.  Tlie  Comawc?a72^e  immediately  presents 
himself,  steps  warily  along  tlie  owXskirts  of  the  sea  of 
crinoline  which  lias  overflowed  the  nave,  and  seats  him- 
self upon  one  of  the  benches,  near  the  altar, — a  j^leasant- 
faced,  portly  gentleman,  with  two  or  three  stars  and 
orders  glistening  on  his  breast.  He  is  attended  by  sev- 
eral officers,  nobles,  and  gentlemen,  his  staff,  and  an 
escort  of  soldiers, — which  latter  forms  in  the  vestibule 
and  near  the  door.  lie  and  his  companions  are  accom- 
modated with  tall,  lighted  tapers,  by  an  attendant 
priest ;  they  rise,  and  the  Te  Deum  commences. 

To  say  truth,  it  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  clangor. 
There  is  none  of  that  clear,  piercing  melody  of  boys' 
voices,  for  which  I  had  looked  ;  the  singers  are  all  men, 
chosen  (it  is  impossible  to  avoid  the  conclusion)  for  the 
strength  of  their  lungs,  and  with  small  reference  to  any 
other  quality  whatsoever.  The  organ  lends  all  the 
grumble  and  bellow  of  its  hoarse  j^ipes,  a  dozen  or  two 
of  violins  and  violincellos  screech  and  groan  in  concert, 
and  the  brass  instruments  of  the  military  band  throw  in 
clash  and  crash  ad  libitum.  Moreover,  several  small 
tea  bells,  or  something  similar,  are  rung  furiously  by 
the  altar  boys;  the  negroes  above  are  belaboring  the 
poor  chimes  with  their  best  will ;  and  cannon  and  vol- 
leys of  musketry  are  fired,  at  intervals,  just  outside  the 
door.  I  have  a  suspicion,  too,  that  there  is  a  popping 
of  fireworks  somewhere;  but  whether  on  the  roof,  or 
under  the  floor,  or  close  at  my  back,  it  is  impossible  to 
say ;  nor  does  it  make  any  manner  of  difference.     The 


A    TE  DUUJf.  165 

din  is  fearful ;  it  sounds  like  two  or  three  Fourth  of  July- 
celebrations  rolled  into  one ;  but  after  its  separate  parts 
have  lost  something  of  their  grotesqueness  and  j^romi- 
nency  by  repetition,  one  becomes  sensible  of  an  odd  kind 
of  grandeur  dominating  the  uproar,  the  product  of  such 
an  immense  volume  of  sustained  and  jubilant  sound. 
Between  the  roll  of  the  cannon,  we  are  able  to  make 
out  a  few  words  of  the  Te  Deum,  enough  to  show  that 
it  is  the  same  grand,  ancient  Latin  hymn,  whereof  the 
English  version  is  so  dear  to  our  hearts ;  but  toward  the 
close,  we  discover  that  certain  ascriptions  to  the  Virgin 
and  Saints  have  somehow  been  ingrafted  iq^on  the 
mighty,  majestic  branches,  and  its  beauty  is  tarnished 
henceforth  for  us. 

The  celebration  of  the  Mass  follows,  with  even  more 
than  the  usual  splendor  of  robes  and  pomp  of  ceremonial. 
"We  send  some  scrutinizing  glances  around  us,  with  the 
design  of  learning  to  how  many  of  those  present  it  is 
really  an  act  of  worship;  and  their  number,  judging  by 
appearances  (the  deceitfulness  of  which  I  would  in  no- 
mse  underrate),  is  mournfully  small.  Even  the  doctrine 
of  the  Real  Presence  does  not  keep  dark  eyes  from  wan- 
dering, and  fans  from  operating  a  system  of  covert 
telegraphy;  Avhile  the  negroes  look  on  with  a  stolid 
receptivity,  which  seems  less  indicative  of  faith  than 
superstition.  Yet  be  it  recorded  that  I  have  seen  de- 
votion in  these  Romish  churches — devotion  as  real, 
absorbed,  and  fervent,  as  is  j^ossible  to  the  human 
heart.  Women  that  crept  quietly  into  shadowy  corners, 
and  wrestled,  as  did  Jacob   of  old,  with  a   Presence 


166  Mr   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

dread,  Divine,  for  a  blessing  to  be  granted,  or  an  afflic- 
tion to  be  Witlilield  or  withdrawn.  Faces  more  earnestly 
and  pathetically  aj^pealing  than  ever  I  saw  in  the  home 
churches ;  for  this  Cuban  race  lives  out  its  inner  self  far 
more  frankly  than  we  do,  and  is  neither  so  apprehensive 
of  observation,  nor  so  sensitive  to  it,  as  our  hardier, 
more  self-contained  and  self-controlled  race.  Hands 
clasped  convulsively  over  a  forgotten  rosary,  while  lips 
trembled  with  the  ]3assionate  pleading  of  j^rayers  that 
"were  not  reckoned  among  the  j^rescribed  number  of 
Pater  JVosters  and  Ave  Marias.  But  this  was  at  quiet 
matins  or  vespers,  when  the  few  who  came,  came  to 
pray,  and  the  old  Cathedral  looked  vaster  and  dimmer 
and  lonelier  than  ever,  for  its  scattered,  isolated  worship- 
pers ; — not  on  days  of  High  Festival,  like  the  present, 
when  all  the  world  goes  to  church,  in  its  worldliest 
mood,  to  enjoy  the  spectacle. 

I  know  not  precisely  at  what  point  in  the  service  our 
attention  is  drawn  and  held  by  one  rapt,  innocent,  ador- 
ing face  in  the  Comandante''s  train,  which  might  well 
serve  as  a  model  for  a  picture  of  that  young  Catholic 
saint,  beheaded  by  certain  Jews  of  old  time,  Avhereof 
the  legend  runs  that  the  lovely,  severed  head  went  on 
singing  hymns  and  saying  Ave  JIarias,  for  a  day  and 
a  night  afterward,  to  the  extreme  amazement  and  terror 

of  the  executioners.     It  is  the  son  of  the  Count , 

not  yet  old  enough  to  have  outgrown  his  childhood 
faith,  and  slid  into  the  common  Spanish  infidelity ; — not 
the  keen,  hard,  witty  infidelity  of  the  Frenchman,  skilful 
at  finding  out  the  joints  of  the    Church's   armor,  and 


A    TE  DEUM.  167 

making  clever  thrusts  therein ;  nor  the  phlegmatic, 
dispassionate,  thoughtful  infidelity  of  the  German,  off- 
spring of  a  mind  lost  and  gone  astray  amid  its  own 
intellections,  and  blinded  by  dust  of  its  own  raising ;  but 
an  infidelity  of  disdain,  last  resort  of  men  who  have 
flung  aside  their  allegiance  to  the  Church  of  Rome  in 
the  extremity  of  disgust  at  its  deceptions,  its  assump- 
tions, and  the  scandalous  lives  of  many  of  its  priests ; 
and  who  have  not  sought,  nor  care  to  seek,  for  anything 
better  to  fill  the  empty  place.  I  think  I  could  count  on 
the  fingers  of  one  hand,  all  the  males  that  I  have  seen, 
during  my  whole  stay  in  Cuba,  engaged  in  any  volun- 
tary act  of  devotion ;  if  I  except  that  rapid  crossing  of 
brow,  lips,  and  breast,  which  runs  like  a  ripple  through 
the  crowd  gathered  in  the  Cathedral,  at  tlie  elevation  of 
the  Host ;  and  seems  more  a  matter  of  habit,  or  of  cour- 
tesy, than  an  expression  of  devotional  feeling,  so  little 
of  solemnity,  or  even  of  attentiveness,  is  there  in  it. 

After  the  elevation  of  the  Host,  the  Gomandante 
and  his  friends  are  relieved  of  their  tapers,  which  they 
surrender  with  great  alacrity ;  their  attention  having 
been  chiefly  engaged,  hitherto,  by  the  onerous  necessity 
of  keeping  them  upright.  This  has  been  signally  weari- 
some to  a  spruce  young  aid-de-camp,  who  has  several 
times  been  on  the  point  of  putting  out  his  neighbor's  eyes 
with  his  taper,  while  his  own  are  busy  with  the  bright 
challenges  thrown  to  him  from  the  nave.  Now,  the 
party  seat  themselves  comfortably  on  their  benches,  and 
look  around  them  Avith  the  manifest  intention  of  making 
up  for  lost  time. 


168  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

At  last,  the  priests  bring  their  droning,  nasal,  monot- 
onous intoning  of  the  prayers  to  an  end,  and  the  strange 
rite  is  over.  The  congregation  waits,  standing,  until  the 
Comandante  has  bowed  himself  out,  and  then  dis- 
perses slowly,  with  a  birdlike  twittering  of  talk  among 
the  women.  Then,  the  long  shadows  of  the  columns 
again  stretch  unbroken  across  the  stone  floor,  the  dim, 
duskiness  steals  back  to  its  wonted  corners  ;  and  the  old, 
white-haired  sacristan,  hopeful  of  a  chance  of  turning 
an  honest  penny,  offers  to  show  us  the  little  chapel 
and  sacristy.  "VYe  decline ;  we  have  seen  them  all 
before,  and  know  there  is  nothing  in  them  worth  visit- 
ing, or  recording. 


CHAPTER    XVIIL 

SUNDAY    SEEINGS    AND   DOINGS. 

i^nmL  DOMINGO"  is  a  trying  day,  in  Cuba,  to 
whomsoever  has  in  his  veins  the  faintest  color- 
ing of  that  blue  blood  which  is  responsible  for  the  sour 
asceticism  and  rigid  formalism  of  the  "  Blue  Laws  "  of 
Connecticut, — one  of  the  most  notable  examples  in  his- 
tory of  the  axiom,  that  "  extremes  meet."  No  matter 
how  substantially  the  blueness  has  been  toned  down  by 
some  few  generations  of  a  healthier  growth  of  religious 
life,  and  a  more  genial  apprehension  of  the  character 
of  the  worship  due  to  a  God  whose  highest  name  is 
"  Love,"  he  cannot  get  through  the  day  without  more 
shocks  to  his  principles  and  prejudices  than  are  whole- 
some or  agreeable.  The  domestic  business  goes  on,  with 
the  accumulated  impetus  of  a  fresh  relay  of  hands ;  the 
counting-houses  are  suggestively  half-open  ;  the  shops 
are  brilliant  and  busy;  the  chain-gang  labors  on  the 
Government  works ;  and  the  tide  of  human  life  sends 
its  fullest  and  gayest  flow  through  the  streets  and 
squares  of  the  city.  In  the  morning,  people  go  to 
Mass,  or  to  business,  according  as  they  are  devout,  or 
no  :  but  the  evening  is  unscrupulously  sacrificed,  by  all 
classes,   on   the   altar   of  Pleasure.     The   theatre   then 


170  3fr   WINTER  IX  CUBA, 

gathers  its  most  brilliant  audience,  the  retreta  its  densest 
crowd,  the  shops  and  restaurants  their  best  customers. 

In  vain  I  shut  myself  in  my  room  ;  sounds  most  un- 
sabbatical  invade  and  destroy  my  quiet.  The  children 
are  all  at  home, — for  Sunday  preserves  enough  of  its 
holi/-daj  character  to  shut  the  schools  and  public  build- 
ings,—and  there  is  a  fivefold  gush  of  antic  and  merri- 
ment through  the  house.  Dolorita  seizes  the  opportu- 
nity for  practice,  and  strums  waltzes  and  marches  on 
the  piano  with  an  energy  and  diligence  worthy  a  better 
work.  Moreover,  the  opera  company  at  the  "Teatro 
Esteban,"  on  the  uj^per  side  of  the  Square,  is  rehearsing 
for  the  evening,  with  wide-open  windows;  the  street- 
criers  are  vociferous  and  hoj^eful;  and  just  up  the  street, 
a  nomadic  menagerie  allures  the  public  with  the  would- 
be  lively  notes  of  a  wheezy  and  dismembered  brass  band. 
In  the  course  of  tlie  forenoon,  Atanasia  appears,  tub  on 
head,  to  give  my  room  its  weekly  drenching ; — I  use  the 
word  advisedly,  for  she  commences  by  emptying  three 
or  four  j^ails  of  water  on  the  tiles,  with  the  object  of 
drowning  out  the  fleas,  as  well  as  of  washing  away  the 
dirt.  Driven  forth  by  this  flood,  I  find  the  sala  and 
dining-room  in  the  hands  of  housemaids,  and  possibly 
of  whitewashers ;  the  laundry  is  in  active  operation; 
Kicardo  bakes,  boils,  stews,  and  scatters  his  hats,  in  an 
ambitious  attempt  to  concoct  a  dinner  that  shall  surpass 
all  former  achievements ;  and  the  only  refuge  is  in  Dona 
Coloma's  own  room,  where  she  pursues  her  elaborate 
stitching  or  intricate  embroidery  precisely  as  on  other 
days.     There  are  a  few  high  festivals  and  saints'  days, 


SUXDAY  SEEING S  AXD   DOIXGS.  l7l 

marked  with  a  double  cross  in  the  Spanish  calendar,  on 
which  she  would  think  it  well  to  intermit  her  work ;  but 
this  is  not  one  of  them, — indeed,  I  think  they  full  often- 
est  on  a  Aveek-day. 

Later,  the  house  takes  on  a  festive  aspect ;  its  mis- 
tress makes  a  grand  toilet ;  little  Rafael  is  put  into  his 
scarlet  uniform ;  Christinita  is  made  ill-at-ease,  bashful, 
and  enchanting,  in  white  lace  and  muslin ;  and  the  ser- 
vants deck  themselves  out  with  whatever  gala-day  finery 
they  may  possess.  There  is  more  than  the  usual  number 
of  guests  at  dinner ;  and  among  them  are  sure  to  be  two 
or  three  bronzed  sea-captains,  whose  ships,  gay  with  a 
holiday  dress  of  bright  bunting,  ride  at  anchor  in  the 
harbor,  while  they  spin  yarns  of  every  material  and  hue, 
and  recount  hair-breadth  'scapes  and  hair-brained  ad- 
ventures on  every  sea  and  every  coast ;  which  if  they 
be  truth,  shame  all  the  marvels  of  invention.  To  one 
of  these,  who  has  a  rare  natural  eloquence,  and  a  won- 
derful faculty  of  so  arranging  his  material  as  to  throw 
forward  all  the  picturesque  points  without  injuring  the 
perspective,  it  is  a  treat  to  listen.  The  only  drawback 
is  in  thinking  it  over, — the  very  excellence  of  the  work 
breeds  suspicion ; — seldom  do  life's  actual  events  group 
themselves  so  artistically  as  in  the  captain's  narrative. 

The  interim  between  the  dessert  and  the  announce- 
ment of  the  carriage  is  seized  by  Doiia  Coloma,  for  a 
little  catechetical  instruction  of  tlie  children ;  to  which 
I  listen  with  an  attention  that  would  assuredly  bring 
her  proselyting  instincts  into  active  exercise,  if  she  had 
•  any.     I  learn  the  nature  and  design  of  penance,  the  rou- 


172  Jrr  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

tine  of  confession,  the  catalogue  of  the  principal  saints, 
etc.  I  find  that  the  commandment  forbidding  the  Avor- 
ship  of  graven  images  is  expunged  from  the  Roman 
Decalogue,  as  it  needs  to  he  (to  make  all  consistent,  the 
third  and  fourth  ought  to  follow  it) ;  and  I  conclude 
that  the  coveting  of  one's  neighbor's  wife  is  an  oiFence 
of  great  frequency  and  universality,  since  it  is  counted 
deserving  of  a  separate  statute, — which  splitting  of  the 
tenth  commandment  in  two  makes  up  the  required  num- 
ber. I  am  also  taught  how  to  cross  one's  self  after  the 
elaborate  Cuban  fashion,  via  the  children  standing  be- 
fore their  mother ;  who  proceeds  as  follows,  suiting  the 
action  to  the  word : 

"  Therefore,  we  have  to  sign  and  sanctify  ourselves, 
by  making  three  crosses ;  the  first  on  the  brow,  in  order 
that  God  may  deliver  us  from  evil  thoughts ;  the  second 
on  the  mouth,  that  He  may  deliver  us  from  evil  words ; 
the  third  on  the  breast,  that  He  may  deliver  us  from  evil 
works ;  saying,  '  By  the  sign  of  the  Holy  Cross,  deliver 
us  from  our  enemies,  O  Lord  our  God ;  In  the  name  of 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
Amen,  Jesus:'" — and  at  the  word  "Jesus,"  the  ends 
of  the  fingers  and  thumb  are  brought  together,  and 
kissed  devoutly. 

In  which  observance  it  is  hard  to  find  anything  ob- 
jectionable, if  it  be  piously  practised.  The  teaching  of 
it  to  the  children,  however,  is  apt  to  degenerate  into  a 
frolic.  Dolorita,  to  be  sure,  goes  through  the  perform- 
ance with  a  lofty,  pharisaical  superciliousness ;  but  Fe- 
lipa's  words  and  ideas  are  always  tripping  each  other 


SUXDAY  SEEING S  AND  DOING S.  173 

up;  Oclila's  agile  and  irrepressible  fingers  indulge  in 
various  supererogatory  crosses  iipon  the  oddest  and 
most  out-of-the-Avay  members  of  lier  small  body;  and 
Rafael  is  not  quite  clear  about  the  distinctiveness  of 
his  nose  and  mouth,  gets  bewildered,  embarrassed,  and 
sulky,  and  refuses  to  cross  himself  at  all. 

It  is  now  time  for  the  usual  drive.  I  go, — not  that  I 
should  tliink  of  doing  such  a  thing  at  home,— but  no 
opportunity  for  fresh  air  and  exercise  is  to  be  lightly 
thrown  away,  in  this  land  of  oriental  seclusion;  and 
furthermore,  it  is  simply  a  cpiestion  between  tweedle- 
dum and  tweedle-dee,  whether  my  Sunday's  sanctity 
shall  be  ruthlessly  slain  to  me  in  or  out  of  doors.  There 
is  even  a  chance  that  the  murder  will  be  something  less 
barbarous  m  the  open  air,  since  my  hostess,  in  consider- 
ation of  my  prejudices— as  she  deems  them— often  fore- 
goes the  crowded  paseo^  and  gives  me  a  quiet  drive 
along  the  beach,  cool  and  resonant  with  the  dash  of 
foamy  waves,  or  orders  Amavedo  to  climb  a  little  way 
np  the  Cumbre,  for  one  of  its  lovely  views  of  the  fair 
city  seated  between  the  mountains  and  the  bay. 

Returning  from  one  of  these  drives,  I  notice  lights 
in  the  cathedral,  and  beg  her  to  stop  long  enough  to  let 
me  see  something  of  the  vesper-service.  The  rosy  glow 
of  the  sunset  tips  the  pinnacles  of  the' gray  tower,  as  w^e 
enter  the  low-browed  portal,  but  a  twilight  duskiness  is 
already  brooding  in  the  quiet  interior.  There  are  no 
lights  save  the  candles  burning  on  the  altar,  where  a 
single  priest  is  intoning  Latin  prayers  in  a  low,  monot- 
onous voice.     A  few  worshippers,  with  faces  indistinct 


174  3rr  WIXTER  IN  CUBA. 

and  spirit-like  in  the  dimness,  are  kneeling  here  and 
there,  solitary  or  in  little  groups ;  telling  their  beads 
with  evident  singleness  of  purpose  and  sincerity  of  de- 
votion, for  they  do  not  look  up  as  we  pass.  There  is  no 
music ;  only  the  ghost  of  an  organ  looks  grimly  down 
from  the  choir,  and  suggests  harmonies  of  whose  divine 
pain  it  might  have  died.  The  gravity,  the  hush,  the 
shadow,  are  all  very  good  after  the  clatter  and  gayety 
and  glare  of  the  streets;  I  sit  down  on  the  end  of  a 
bench,  and  taste  some  rare  moments  of  quiet,  sweet  en- 
joyment. 

By  and  by,  a  second  priest  suddenly  appears  in  the 
pulpit,  with  a  sort  of  stage-effect,  since  the  entrance 
thereto  is  concealed  within  the  masonry  of  a  column ; 
and  his  dark-robed  figure  is  seen  in  outline  on  the 
lighter  background  of  the  pillar.  His  sermon  is  full  of 
rant  and  acrimony,  and  delivered  with  a  superabundance 
of  extravagant  gesticulation,  utterly  inharmonious  with 
the  hour  and  the  scene  ;  so  I  soon  tire  of  listening,  and 
go  on  a  pilgrimage  to  the  shrines,  and  try  to  make  out 
their  images  and  pictures  in  the  obscurity.  I  stand,  for 
some  moments,  tracing  the  faint  outlines  of  an  old  brown 
canvas,  in  the  firm  belief  that  they  tell  the  story  of  the 
transformation  of  biscuits  into  roses,  in  St.  Elizabeth's 
apron ;  and  am  considerably  nonplussed  when  Cecilio 
interrupts  my  comments  and  conjectures  with  the  state- 
ment that  I  am  looking  at  a  picture  of  Salome,  bearing 
the  head  of  John  the  Baptist  on  a  charger  !  Finisliing 
my  studies  abruptly,  I  signify  that  I  am  ready  to  go. 

On  another  evening,  we  enter  the  cathedral  in  the 


.    SUNDAY  SEEING S  AND  DOINGS.  1*75 

same  unpremeditated  fashion,  and  find  that  we  have 
come  unawares  upon  a  most  solemn  and  touching  ser- 
vice,— solemn  and  touching  even  to  those  who  have  no 
faith  in  its  efficacy, — a  mass  for  the  souls  of  the  dead. 
If  the  building  was  dusky  at  our  previous  visit,  it  is  ab- 
solutely dark  now :  the  night  Avhich  is  fast  gathering 
strength  outside,  is  already  dominant  here, — it  may  have 
fallen  from  the  gloomy  arch  of  the  roof,  or  arisen  from 
the  dank  floor  in  vapory  and  sombre  exhalations.  A 
single  taper  burns  upon  the  altar,  by  which  the  officiat- 
ing priest  intones  his  solemn  prayers ;  but  its  rays  pene- 
trate only  a  little  way  into  the  obscurity  of  the  nave; 
the  tall  pillars  have  a  grim  and  spectral  aspect ;  and  the 
roof,  corners,  and  organ-loft  are  mere  masses  of  heavy 
shadow.  The  floor  is  strewn  with  dark,  formless  objects; 
they  might  be  automatic  figures,  or  strange,  nocturnal 
animals,  or  a  hundred  other  things,  for  aught  that  our 
eyes  tell  us ;  but  some  fine,  spiritual  vision  makes  it  clear 
to  us  that  we  are  in  the  presence  of  sorrowing  human 
souls,  that  the  air  is  thick  with  tears  and  heart-break, 
and  heavy  with  impassioned  supplication.  Each  one 
is  so  isolated  in  the  silence  and  sombreness  as  to  be  free 
from  every  distraction  and  constraint,  yet  feels  the 
soothing  presence  of  many  other  stricken,  mQurning 
hearts,  and  knows  that  its  j)rayers,'  on  their  upward 
way,  are  blended  with  many  consonant  petitions,  the 
unutterably  tender  and  pathetic  harmony  of  which  can- 
not fail  to  touch  the  ear  of  the  All-Father. 
■» 

But  vainly  I  seek  to  give  you  an  adequate  concep- 
tion of  the  impressive  solemnity  and  weird  suggestive- 


176  3ir  WINTER  IX  CUBA. 

ness  of  the  scene — the  vast,  ancient  edifice,  venerable 
with  the  consecration  of  the  jn-ayers  of  many  vanished 
and  ghostly  generations — the  one  taper,  shining  like  a 
star  in  the  midnight  of  the  chancel — the'lo^v,  subdued 
chant  of  the  priest — the  intervals  of  awe-struck  silence 
— the  shadowy,  motionless  forms  of  the  scattered  peni- 
tents, that  seem  but  dim  hints  of  other  scarcely  more 
substantial  shapes  that  may  be  lurking  in  the  remote 
corners,  or  peering  down  from  the  dim  arch  aloft.  Its 
influence  —  spell  —  magnetism — what  you  will ! — domi- 
nates prejudice,  and  vanquishes  resistance,  in  every 
heart  that  has  some  time  bled  over  a  grave  (and  few 
there  are  who  have  not)  ;  it  tyrannizes  over  me  to  such  a 
degree  that  I  am  constrained  to  seek  out  a  dim  nook, 
and  straightway  drop  on  my  knees.  But  my  dead, 
thank  God  ! — all  of  whom  I  have  the  dear  right  to  say 
"mine" — have  died  "in  the  communion  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  in  the  confidence  of  a  certain  faith,  in  the  com- 
fort of  a  reasonable,  religious,  and  holy  hope  ; " — I  need 
not  pray  for  them,  if  I  dared  !  But  there  are  others, 
not  gone  down  to  the  Silent  Land,  yet  as  dead  to  me  as 
if  the  Spring  grasses  and  violets  had  drawn  their  inex- 
orable bars  between  our  faces,  for  whom  it  is  still  per- 
missible to  say  the  jjrayer  of  faith.  And  may  it  add 
some  touch  of  tender  blessing  to  their  far-away  lives ! 

The  voice  of  the  priest  at  the  altar  dies,  away  into 
silence,  and  there  are  some  moments  of  a  stillness  so 
deep,  so  utter,  that  I  involuntarily  hold  my  breath  ;  yet 
so  subtly  interfused  Avith  intense,  powerful  emotion, 
that  the  sound  of  a  shriek  would  really  be  a  relief,  and 


I 

SUNDAY  SEEING S  AND  DOINGS.  Ill 

I  momentarily  expect  to  hear  one  from  some  over- 
charged and  sensitive  heart.  Instead  thereof,  a  rich, 
tender,  thrilling  voice  seems  to  grow  out  of  the  hush — 
certainly  it  does  not  break  it ! — to  whose  wondrous 
music  of  tone  and  melody  of  modulation  I  listen  en- 
tranced, for  a  time,  without  being  at  all  cognizant  of  the 
sense  of  its  words.  Presently,  I  perceive  that  it  is  talk* 
ing  quietly  of  the  Fatherhood  of  God,  of  His  unresting 
care  for  the  Universe,  His  tender  taking  of  thought  for 
tliose  who  never  think  of  Him,  the  lavish  fall  of  His  sun 
and  rain  upon  the  just  and  the  unjust,  and  the  dew-drop- 
pings of  His  bounty  on  the  improvident  and  unthankful. 
Then,  in  deep,  sombre,  penetrating  tones,  it  draws  a 
Rembrandt-like  picture  of  the  terrible  orphanage  of  the 
world  if,  by  any  means,  the  reality  and  the  conception  of 
God  the  Father  were  utterly  lost  and  forgotten,  and  its 
place  filled  by  some  cold  abstraction  of  Law  or  Des- 
tiny— a  picture  that  curdles  one's  very  heart-blood,  and 
causes  one's  bosom  to  heave  and  strain  with  an  oppres- 
sive, insufferable  weight  of  ideal  woe.  "  Only  a  picture 
now,  thank  God ! "  it  says,  in  ineffably  solemn  and  pity- 
ing tones,  "  yet  certain  to  become,  in  some  sort,  a  dread 
reality  to  all  those,  who,  having  despised  God's  mercy 
here,  are  cast  out  of  the  sunshine  of  His  favor,  and  into 
the  fire  of  His  wrath  hereafter ! "  Then,  suddenly 
changing  to  a  tone  of  perfect,  joyous  faith,  it  sets  forth 
the  comfort  of  knowing  that  God  is,  in  a  special  and  most 
tender  sense,  the  father  of  those  who  trust  in  Him,  and 
how  confidently  all  such  may  commit  their  dead  to  His 
gracious  love  ;  ending  with  a  wonderfully  thrilling  and 
8* 


178  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

pathetic  appeal  to  tlie  irreligious,  by  the  memory,  and 
for  the  sake,  of  those  waiting,  longing,  imploring  dead 
to  become,  in  this  full  and  final  sense.  His  cliildren. 
And  the  voice  ceases  just  as  it  came,  and  the  dark  spot 
in  the  j^ulpit,  whicli  lias  seemed  merely  a  sort  of  nucleus 
of  the  nave's  mighty  breadth  of  shadow,  vanishes 
silently ! 

I  know  not  how  I  got  out  of  the  church,  but  I  found 
myself  in  the  carriage,  drawing  a  long  breath,  like  one 
who  has  just  escaped  from  the  oppressive  influence  of  a 
fantastic  dream; — yet  with  a  tolerably  clear  compre- 
hension, for  the  first  time  in  my  life,  how  it  is  possible 
for  a  being  endowed  with  reason  (provided  a  heart  and 
an  imagination  are  super-added  to  that  good  gift)  to  be 
a  Roman  Catholic.  It  is  frequently  said,  and  with  truth, 
that  the  services  of  the  Romish  Church  appeal  to  the 
senses ;  but  they  also  address  themselves  to  something 
better  and  deeper — the  sweetest  and  strongest  afiections 
of  the  human  heart ;  and  herein,  probably,  is  the  secret 
of  their  powerful  hold  upon  women.  Convince  a 
mother — nay,  give  her  a  glimmer  of  hope,  even^ — that 
her  prayers  and  alms  can  lift  the  erring,  lost  soul  of  lier 
child  out  of  purgatory,  and  Rome  has,  ready  made  to 
her  hand,  the  most  patient,  submissive,  and  liberal  of 
disciples. 

I  record  this  whole  matter  partly  for  the  sake  of  the 
moral  which  I  draw  from  it, — that  it  is  scarcely  worth 
while  to  try  to  beat  Rome  with  her  own  weapons.  She 
is  an  adept  in  stage-efiects  and  sensuous  influences,  in 
the  management  of  drapery,  light  and  shadow,  sound 


SUNDAY  SEEINGS  AND  DOINGS,  179 

and  silence  ;  and  her  skill  and  unscrupuloiisness  in  using 
them,  put  all  such  attempts  at  a  frightful  disadvantage. 
Doiia  Coloma  sets  me  down  at  home,  and  then  pro- 
ceeds to  opera,  retreta^  or  family  reunion,  as  her  mood 
dictates.  And  now,  at  last,  a  measure  of  quiet  is  vouch- 
safed to  me;  for  the  children  are  out  or  asleep,  the 
servants  are  mostly  off  a-pleasuring,  and  the  sweet, 
plaintive  music  of  "  La  Sonambula,"  or  "  Lucia,"  soft- 
ened and  spiritualized  by  the  distance  and  the  evening- 
hush,  does  not  seem  harshly  out  of  keeping  with  the 
hour.  Or,  it  may  be  that  Francisca,  heart-heavy  with 
homesick  longings  for  her  island-home,  lingers  on  the 
balcony,  and  croons  to  herself  and  the  sea  an  old,  quaint, 
j)athetic  Spanish  hymn,  whose  simple  melody  and  ex- 
quisite feeling  bring  tears  to  my  eyes.  The  refrain  slips 
into  an  English  dress  thus : 

Woe  is  m«  ! 
*Tis  I  that  offended  Thee  ! 

But  the  rod 
Thou  did'st  endure,  oli,  nfy  God  ! — 

albeit,  the  idiomatic  simplicity  and  tenderness  of  the 
remainder  laugh  translation  to  scorn.  The  Spanish 
language  is  exceedingly  amenable  to  verse,  by  reason 
of  its  wealth  of  idioms,  its  profusion  of  ready  rhymes, 
its  rich  and  stately  rhythm,  and  the  figurative  character 
of  its  phraseology;  but  its  poetry  is  very  difficult  of 
translation, — all  the  finer  essence  escapes  in  the  process. 
The  real  truth  being,  perhaps,  that  its  beauty  is  oftener 
due  to  music  of  sounds,  and  harmony  of  versification, 
than  to  high  and  sustained  poetic  thought. 


180  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

Of  such  domestic  religious  observances  as  grace  at 
meals,  and  family  prayers,  I  have  seen  nothing ;  which 
is,  by  no  means,  to  be  admitted  as  indubitable  evidence 
that  such  things  do  not  exist.  The  observer  in  foreign 
countries  is  in  continual  danger  of  classifying  individual 
traits  as  national  characteristics,  and  cannot  safely  argue, 
except  after  a  very  long  sojourn,  that  what  he  does  not 
see  is  never  to  be  seen,  nor  that  what  he  sees  once  is 
commonly  to  be  seen. 

He  will  not  go  amiss,  however,  if  he  set  it  down  in 
his  note-book  that  an  oratory,  or  chapel,  or  something 
similar,  is  to  be  found  in  every  Cuban  dwelling.  My 
hostess  has,  in  her  own  room,  a  large  case  of  rosewood 
and  glass,  containing :  First,  a  crucifix  of  extremely 
antique  appearance,  with  angles  and  edges  that  have 
been  rounded  off  by  the  teeth  or  tongue  of  Time,  until  it 
has  greatly  the  aspect  of  a  sugar-toy  that  has  been  sub- 
jected to  the  ordeal  of  an  infantile  mouth,  being  an  heir- 
loom of  the  House  of  Samano,  handed  down  from  eldest 
son  to  eldest  son  th'Vough  many  generations,  and  valued 
accordnigly.  The  scarf — I  should  say  "  sudario  !  " — 
which  enfolds  the  loins  of  the  figure  of  Christ,  is  studded 
with  family  jewels,  and  its  ends  are  drawn  through  a 
costly  diamond  ring,  the  wedding-ring  of  la  sefiora. 
Secondly,  a  highly  lugubrious-faced  image,  with  a 
golden  nimbus  around  its  head,  a  veil  of  rare,  time-yel- 
lowed lace,  and  a  black  velvet  robe,  garnished  ^dth 
jewels  ;  which  represents  the  Virgin  as  the  "  Mother  of 
Sorrows."  Thirdly,  a  silver  censer  for  burning  incense. 
Fourthly,  a  silver  cup,  and  sprinkler,  for  "  holy  water," 


sum) AT  SEmNGS  AND  DOINGS,  181 

Fifthly,  three  vases  of  artificial  flowers ;  and  a  number 
of  smaller   ornaments,  which  need  not  be  catalogued. 
By  the  side  of  tlie  case  are  two  heavy  silver  candelabra, 
and  a  dainty  porcelain  lamp.     The  flame  of  the  latter  is 
never  suffered  to  exi^ire;  all  the  day  and  night  long,  its 
small  glow  admonishes  the   bystanders   to   keep  their 
spiritual  lamps  trimmed  and  burning.     Its  care  is  one 
of  the  religious  duties  of  the  mistress  of  the  household, 
and  I  think  I  never  saw  a  face  of  greater  consternation 
than  she  exhibited  one  day,  when  a  mischievous  puff  of 
wind  (or  might  it  have  been  the  disembodied,  but  still 
militant  sj^irit  of  some  grim  old  Roundhead!)  during  a 
"norther,"  made  a  sly,  swift  dart  at  the  flame  andV 
stantly  extinguished  it. 

She  calls  this  case  a  «  chapel,"  and  as  she  plainly 
considers  it  a  sacred  spot,  wherein  she  sees  typified  the 
whole  life,  death,  and  teaching  of  Christ,  and  through 
which   grace  and   benediction    flow   unto   her  and  h°er 
household,  I  am  half-ashamed  that  I  can   associate  it 
with  nothing  but  a  show-case  on  Broadway,  filled  with 
dolls  and  trinkets  for  sale.     This  coines  of  difference  in 
education.     To  her  it  is  eloquent  with  signs  and  sugges- 
tions of  holy  things,  and  she  says  her  prayers  andTells 
her  beads  before  it,  doubtless,    with   faith  and  fervor. 
And  if  I  smile  to  see,  it  is  not  in  scorn,  be  it  understood, 
neither  with  any   assumption  of  superiority;  but   with 
an   irresistibly  amused   recognition    of    the   naive   and 
childlike  nature  that  finds  help  in   sucli  devotional  lad- 
ders,   and  with  a  thankful  remembrance  of  that   good 
grace  which  maketh  us  to  differ.      For  no  man  can  say, 


182  Mr   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

positively,  that  if  the  providence  of  God  had  placed  him, 
at  birth,  Avithin  the  vast,  powerful  machine  of  the 
Church  of  Rome,  he  would  not  have  come  forth  moulded 
and  chiselled  to  the  pattern  of  tlie  devoutcst  of  her  dis- 
ciples. And  one  may  hope  that  all  fervent  prayer  finds 
out  the  Father  at  last,  no  matter  how  many  forms  of 
Virgin  and  Saint  stand  in  the  way.  Happy,  neverthe- 
less, are  all  they  who  look  straight  up  to  the  ineffable 
glory  of  the  Godhead,  when  they  pray ;  and  behold  the 
transfigured  Humanity  of  the  Son,  unobscured  by  any 
image  of  the  Mother — the  woman, — who  is,  be  it  allowed, 
much  better  adapted  to  the  genius  and  purposes  of 
Kome,  in  the  way  of  bedizenment,  exhibition,  and  senti- 
mental adoration. 

But  there  is  another  aspect  of  this  "  chapel "  which 
I  should  regret  to  miss,  embodying  a  lesson  good  for  me 
and  all  Protestants, — that  spirit  of  loving  sacrifice,  that 
willing  offering  of  one's  most  precious  things  to  God, 
which  does,  in  truth,  dignify  it  with  a  sort  of  conse^ 
oration.  Manifestly,  the  Senora  has  not  given  of  that 
which  cost  her  nothing.  Her  own  wedding-ring  blazes 
on  the  crucifix,  her  cherished  family  jewels  adorn  the 
Virgin,  and  the  solid  silver  candelabra  were  recently 
imported  from  Spain,  expressly  for  this  purpose.  And 
these  things  are  given,  not  lent, — never  again  to  be 
appropriated  to  any  secular  use  or  adornment.  What- 
ever you  may  think  of  the  fitness  of  the  gift,  its  pre- 
ciousness  must  be  allowed,  and  the  grace  of  self-denial 
which  prompted  it.  And  every  shrine,  every  altar  of 
the  Komish  Church,  tells  the  same  story  of  self-sacrificing 


SUXDAY  SEEING'S  AND   DOINGS.  183 

devotion.  It  were  well  for  the  whole  Protestant  world, 
if  more  of  this  spirit  animated  the  hearts  of  its  people, 
and  were  visihlc  in  its  churclics ;  if  its  gold  and  t^ilver 
were  oftener  v.ronght  into  cross-tipped  towers  that 
shonld  lift  all  Immhle  and  serious  souls  with  Divine  aspi- 
ration and  joyful  faith ;  if  its  labor  were  crystallized  into 
walls  that  should  he  eloquent  with  silent  ascription  and 
vocal  with  spoken  praise,  for  all  coming  generations  ;  if 
the  light  and  color  of  its  gems  Avere  fused  into  the 
tender  glory  of  stained  windows,  that  should  tell  the 
stories  of  apostles  and  martyrs,  or  keep  in  remembrance 
solemn  truths,  through  the  lovely  blazonry  of  emblem 
and  symbol,  for  millions  of  eyes  that  are  to  open  out 
of  the  future,  and  for  whose  education  and  destiny 
we  are  in  some  measure,  responsible.  The  surplus  jewels 
of  our  women,  the  costly  upholstery  and  frippery  of  our 
houses — things  that  too  frequently  vulgarize  rather 
than  beautify  them — would  build  a  church  in  every 
village  that  should  be  a  joy  to  the  eyes,  and  a  comfort 
and  stay  to  the  hearts,  of  all  that  looked  upon  it ! 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  ENTKANCE  AND  EXIT  OF  LEXT. 

"^rO  history  of  a  Cuban  winter  would  be  complete, 
without  some  mention  of  the  gayeties  of  the  Car- 
nival, and  the  solemnities  of  Holy  Week.  The  former 
seldom  get  well  under  w^ay  until  Quinquagesima  Sunday. 
On  the  afternoon  and  evening  of  that  day  the  Ayhole  city, 
apparently,  gave  itself  up  to  fun,  frolic,  and  folly.  The 
streets  and  the  ^jxxseo  were  flooded  with  maskers,  mum- 
mers, and  spectators,  on  foot  or  in  carriages ;  while  ladies 
in  full  dress,  and  children  in  every  variety  of  youthful 
bedizenment,  crowded  the  windows  and  balconies,  to 
watch  the  ebb  and  flow  of  the  fantastic  tide. 

The  23023ular  fancy  seemed  to  run  chiefly  in  the  chan- 
nels of  noise  and  grotesqueness,  overlooking  the  softer 
attractions  of  the  picturesque  and  the  humorous, — a 
tolerably  certain  indication  that  the  lower  classes  had 
the  masking  and  the  active  merry-making  pretty  much 
to  themselves.  Everywhere  there  were  men  disguised 
as  women  and  women  disguised  as  men,  negroes  simu- 
lating Avhites  and  whites  simulating  negroes,  while  im- 
possible noses,  cliins,  beards,  and  i^aunches,  were  the  rule 
rather  than  tlie  exception.  Beasts  and  birds  were  numer- 
ous, and  especially  efiective  in  point  of  vocalism ;  there 


THE  EXTRAXCE  AND   EXIT  OF  LEXT.  185 

were  counterfeit  donkeys  that  braycJ,  lions  that  roared, 
cocks  that   crowed,   dogs   that  howled,   and   apes   that 
chattered,  in  a  way  to  sliame  tlie  real  article  into  silence 
forever.      Insti-uments  of  music   and   of   discord   alike 
helped  to   swell  the   uproar;    about   every  third  mask 
twanged  a  guitar,  or  sawed  a  fiddle,  or  tooted  a  horn,  or 
banged   a  tin   pan,  or  rattled  a  gourd,  or  belabored  a 
drum,  with  a  zeal  and  zest  wonderful  to  behold.     Scores 
of  these  organized  themselves  into  callithumpian  bands, 
and  paraded  the   streets,   doing  great    execution   upon 
sensitive  tympanums.     Scarcely  less  noisy  were  certain 
processions  (of  which  I  saw  two  or  three),  consisting  of 
a  grotesquely  costumed  leader,  holding  aloft  an  immense 
rat  in  a  cage,  and  screaming  "  Catch  this  rat ! "  at  the 
top  of  his  voice ;  and  followed  by  a  double  file  of  demo- 
niacs, all  frantically  yelling  in  chorus,  and  in  every  variety 
of  intonation  from  a  squeal  to  a  roar,  "  Catch  that  rat ! 
Catch  that  rat !  "     These  seemed  to  divide  the  popular 
favor  with   processions  headed  by  a  band  of  music,  and 
made  up  of  the  most  diverse  and  grotesque  masks  tliat 
could  be  coupled  together.     Conspicuous  among  these 
was  an  extremely  tall  man  carefully  arrayed  as  a  fashion- 
able belle,  with  gorgeous  fan    and  preposterous  train, 
arm  in  arm  with  a  tiny  woman  in  male  attire,  whose  coat 
tails  almost  reached  to  her  heels ;  the  one  playing  the 
part  of  a  coquettish  maiden,  and  the  other  of  a  devoted 
and  persistent  swain,  in  apparent  unconsciousness  either 
of  the  spectators  surging  around  them,  or  of  the  plaudits 
and  peals  of  laughter  that   everywhere   greeted   their 
performance.     Bringing  up  the  rear  of  one  of  these  pro- 


186  Ml"   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

cessions  was  an  enormous  negro,  in  a  gilded  circle  repre- 
senting the  sun,  who  amused  himself  with  reflecting  the 
rays  of  the  real  luminary  into  all  the  eyes  in  his  neighbor- 
hood, by  means  of  an  ingenious  arrangement  of  small 
mirrors,  and  grinned  broadly  whenever  the  victim 
manifested  annoyance. 

In  the  vicinity  of  the  plaza^  maskers,  promenaders, 
volantes,  and  carriages,  were  so  wedged  together  as  to 
seem  absolutely  solid.  However,  by  dint  of  patience, 
vigilance,  and  audacity,  Amavedo  slowly  brought  us  to 
one  corner  of  the  crowded  square,  which  we  found  to  be 
flanked  with  movable  kitchens  for  the  preparation  of 
dainties  acceptable  to  the  popular  taste,  and  booths  and 
tables  for  the  selling  and  eating  thereof.  Fruit  stands 
seemed  also  to  be  doing  a  thriving  business;  the  owner 
of  one  of  which  vainly  strove  to  tempt  me  with  a  string 
of  small,  withered,  tough-looking,  red  apples,  from  my 
native  shores.  Yainly, — though  I  really  cannot  tell 
whether  it  was  disgust  at  their  uninviting  aspect,  or 
jnortification  at  the  sorry  figure  they  made  beside  the 
fresh  and  luscious  tropical  fruits,  or  a  rush  of  homesick 
memories,  that  forced  me  to  turn  my  eyes  away  from 
them  as  quickly  as  possible.  But  I  could  not  shut  my 
ears  to  the  following  dialogue  close  to  the  carriage  wheel. 

"  Caramha^  Jose ! "  (in  the  high  shrill  tones  of  a 
paiscmo) — "  what  kind  of  things  are  those  ?  " 

Jose  {hesitatingly).     "  I — I — ah — ah — is  it  fruit  ?  " 

Fkuit-seller  {taking  up  the  theme  with  animation). 
"ApPLEfi!  cahalleros!  Fine,  fresh  apples!  just  in  from 
the  United  States !     Selling  like  smoke,  too — these  are 


THE  ENTRANCE  AND  EXIT  OF  LENT.  1S7 

all  I  have  left!  Try  some?  (hisiiiuatingli/)  only  ten 
cents  each !  " 

Two  apples  are  bought.  The  next  remark  is  from 
Jose,  mingled  with  sounds  of  spitting  and  spluttering, — 

"  Caramha  !  Tomas !  what  sort  of  people  must  they 
be  "who  have  no  better  fruit  to  eat  than  that ! " 

ToMAS  {munching  sloicly  and  critically).  "  I  don't 
knoAV  {munches) — on  the  whole  {munches) — I  think  I 
rather  like  it.  You  see  {mioiches) — it  isn't  eaten  in  a 
hurry,  and  I  always  did  like  something  to  cheio  at !  " 

In  this  quarter,  the  masks  were  thicker  and  noisier 
than  ever,  yet  I  saw  but  one  worthy  of  note — a  Falstaff 
of  such  unwieldy  proportions  that  it  required  three  or 
four  good  natured  friends  to  set  him  in  motion,  after 
every  stoppage ;  but  when  once  fairly  under  way,  the 
crowd  rolled  back  from  his  bluff  sides  like  weave's  from  a 
headland.  At  one  comer  of  the  plaza^  a  small  space  had 
been  cleared,  where  somebody  was  continually  going  off 
into  -waltzes,  jigs,  or  the  favorite  danza  criolla^  with  a 
constant  change  of  partners  and  musicians.  And  once 
or  twice,  a  number  of  strange  masks  joined  hands,  and 
danced  slowly  round  and  round  in  a  circle,  accompanying 
themselves  w^ith  a  monotonous  and  even  mournful  chant, 
Tvhich  had  an  almost  funereal  effect  amid  the  prevailing 
fun  and  frenzy.  It  was  a  touch  of  the  skeleton  at  the 
antique  feasts — the  inevitable  suggestion  of  sorrow 
breaking  up  through  all  human  mirth,  yet  investing  it 
with  a  still  stronger  characteristic  of  mad,  reckless 
jollity. 

Occasionally,  too,  there  was  a  strange  pause  in  the 


188  Mr  WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

merriment,  a  contagious  silence  spread  itself  throughout 
the  crowd,  as  if  every  individual  therein  had  suddenly 
stopped  to  consider  whether  this  furious  revel  was  really 
worth  his  while, — whether  it  were  possible  to  distil  any 
drop  of  the  true  essence  of  enjoyment  from  this  noisy 
ebullition  of  folly.  And  then  the  hubbub  began  again, 
forced  and  fitful  at  first,  but  gradually  swelling  louder 
and  louder,  till  it  seemed  that  every  voice  in  the  vast 
throng  must  lend  its  aid  to  the  mighty  aggregate  of 
sound ;  while  every  face,  young  or  old,  white  or  black, 
beautiful  or  ugly,  was  lit  up  by  a  smile  or  broadened  by 
a  grin. 

Yet,  at  best,  it  Avas  2:)lain  to  see  that  only  the  lower . 
ranks  of  society  gave  themselves  up  heartily  to  the  spirit 
of  the  hereditary  festival.  The  higher  classes  might 
now  and  then  dip  briefly  into  the  frolic,  in  the  person  of 
some  youthful  representative;  but,  for  the  most  part, 
they  contented  themselves  with  looking  on  and  laughing. 
It  would  seem  that  the  motley  show  of  the  carnival, 
coming  down  to  us  from  a  ruder  and  simpler  age,  is  best 
suited  to  rude  and  simple  tastes.  Flowing  through  the 
midst  of  the  modern  civilization,  it  still  keeps  its  ancient 
hue  and  tone.  For  every  mask,  every  absurdity,  every 
fantasy,  which  is  the  sportive  efiluence  of  the  present 
day,  there  are  a  hundred  bearing  the  stamp  of  the  broad, 
ancient  humor ;  and  whereat  so  many  buried  generations 
have  laughed  as  to  make  them  more  melancholy  than 
mirthful,  in  all  thoughful  eyes. 

Certain  it  is,  that  in  the  present  instance,  scarce  any 
but  negroes  and  children  followed  the  sport  with  un- 


THE  EXTRAXCE  AND  EXIT  OF  LENT.  189 

flagging  interest  to  tlie  end.  For  myself,  the  limit  to  my 
enjoyment  of  grotesqueness  and  extravaganza  being 
always  quickly  reached,  I  was  glad  when,  on  Tuesday  at 
midnight,  the  last  masker  left  tlie  street,  the  last  peal  of 
laughter  died  away  into  the  wholesome  quietude  of 
Lent. 

During  this  season,  the  bells  seem  to  ring  almost  con- 
stantly, and  the  services  are  numerous.  Perhaps  the 
church  accommodation  of  Matanzas  is  not  so  inadequate 
as  it  first  appears:  it  must  be  taken  into  consideration 
that  its  three  houses  of  worship  stand  always  open  for 
the  use  of  penitent  or  pilgrim,  that  it  has  a  daily  ser- 
vice, and  that,  on  Sundays  and  all  important  feasts  and 
fasts,  one  mass  continually  follows  another,  with  a  fresh 
priest  and  a  new  congregation,  from  early  morn  to 
dusky  eve.  Certainly,  I  never  saw  any  of  the  churches 
overcrowded — or  even  well  filled — except  on  occasions 
of  imusual  spectacular  attraction.  The  ordinary  Lenten 
services  appeared  to  be  but  thinly  attended,  and  the 
Lenten  rule  of  life  somewhat  less  strict  than  is  usual  in 
Roman  Catholic  countries.  Xobody  within  the  scope  of 
my  observation,  abstained  from  the  use  of  meat,  except 
on  the  two  last  days  of  Holy  Week.  I  had  already 
noticed  that  no  one  seemed  to  think  a  fish  diet  obliga- 
tory on  Fridays ;  and  when  I  ventured  to  express  my 
surprise  thereat,  I  was  told  that  Lmocent  ^^[IL,  in  the 
fifteenth  century,  granted  an  unlimited  dispensation 
from  Friday  fasting  to  the  whole  Spanish  nation,  in 
requital  of  their  final  expulsion  of  the  Moors;  which 
grace  the  Cubans  inherit  by  right  of  lineal  descent.     I 


190  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA, 

tell  the  tale  as  it  was  told  me,  not  having  taken  the 
trouble  to  verify  the  statement. 

Palm  Sunday  was  observed  by  fastening  the  graceful 
leaves  of  the  royal  palm  into  doors  and  windows ;  and 
the  devout  wore  bits  of  them  on  their  bosoms  or  carried 
them  in  their  hands.  Often,  they  were  braided  into 
crosses,  stars,  rosettes,  bracelets,  and  other  pretty  de- 
vices, by  the  skilful  fingers  of  the  ladies  ;  who  first  have 
them  blessed  by  a  priest,  and  then  bestow  them  upon 
their  friends. 

From  the  forenoon  of  Maunday  Thursday  until 
Easter  morning,  the  city  breathes  an  almost  oppressive 
atmosphere  of  stillness  and  gloom.  The  bells  are  for- 
bidden to  ring, — the  clocks,  even,  are"  prevented  from 
striking  the  hours.  Not  a  vehicle  of  any  sort  whatever 
is  allowed  in  the  streets;  business  is  necessarily  sus- 
pended ;  guards  and  sentinels  march  with  arms  reversed ; 
flags  are  at  half-mast ;  women  attired  all  in  black  pass 
slowly  through  the  streets  on  their  way  to  church;  it 
seems  a  city  suddenly  overtaken  by  some  dire  and  wide- 
sj)read  calamity. 

On  Good'  Friday,  the  churches  are  all  hung  with 
funereal  drapery,  pictures  and  images  veiled,  flowers, 
tinsel,  and  whatever  is  bright  and  cheerful  of  tone, 
covered  or  removed.  The  Cathedral  is  like  a  vast,  dim 
tomb,  filled  with  black-robed  mourners.  Such,  at  least, 
is  its  surface  aspect,  and  it  is  hardly  worth  our  while  to 
look  beneath.  All  day  long,  services  are  going  on 
within  its  walls ;  and  echoes  of  its  solemn  chants  drift 
far  down  the  silent  streets.     At  dusk,  a  life-like  repre- 


Tn:E  ENTRAKCE  AXD  EXIT  OF  LENT.  191 

sentation  of  the  dead  Christ,  on  a  large  black-draped 
catafalque,  is  borne  through  the  city,  followed  by  a  vast 
procession  of  priests,  religious  orders,  charitable  soci- 
eties, civic  and  military  bodies,  and  multifarious  ranks 
of  men,  women,  and  children.  On  this  occasion  alone, 
of  the  whole  year,  the  entire  population  may  be  seen  in 
the  streets  and  on  foot,  without  exception  of  class,  color, 
sex,  or  age.  The  millionaire  elbows  tlie  slave;  the 
silken  robe  of  the  countess  touches,  on  one  side,  the 
unfragrant  rags  of  poverty,  and  on  the  other,  the  piti- 
able gannents  of  shame.  There  is  a  continuous,  inartic- 
ulate murmur,  like  the  roar  of  the  sea,  and  there  are 
occasional  ripples  of  the  elaborate  crossing,  before 
described, — but  no  loud  talking  nor  laughter,  no  rude- 
ness nor  quarrelling,  no  tumultuous  swaying  to  and  fro 
of  the  dense  human  tide,  no  noticeable  disorder  of  any 
sort.  Nevertheless,  decorous  as  the  crowd  appears,  and 
devout  as  some  few  of  its  members  .undoubtedly  are, 
there  is  a  nameless  something  about  it,  in  gross,  be- 
tokening that  it  is  come  hither  to  enjoy  a  show,  a  sj^ec- 
tacle,  an  objective  display,  rather  than  to  take  j^art  in  a 
heartfelt,  religious  rite.  It  is  law  and  custom  that  have 
shut  the  shops  and  stopped  the  pulsations  of  trade  and 
commerce,  it  is  official  obligation,  on  the  one  hand,  and 
love  of  parade  and  excitement,  on  the  other,  Avhich  have 
filled  the  ranks  of  that  immense  procession ;  it  is  j^artly 
the  prospect  of  scenic  display,  and  partly  the  social  in- 
stinct, which  have  packed  together  this  vast  concourse 
of  spectators. 

And  in  truth  it  is  a  sight  worth  seeing ! — the  long 


192  Mr   WIXTER  IN  CUBA. 

river  of  wavering  lights,  shining  on  priestly  robe  and 
monastic  gown,  on  civic  pomp  and  insignia,  on  military- 
uniforms  and  society  banners ;  iand  flowing  between  dark 
banks  of  spectators,  wherein  young  and  old,  rich  and 
poor,  dusky  and  fair,  stand  side  by  side  under  the  clear- 
eyed  stars  and  the  tender,  tropical  sky !  I  wish  I  had 
bethought  me  to  go  through  the  crowd  with  a  note- 
book, sketching  a  representative  character  here  and 
there;  the  result  must  needs  have  been  a  gallery  of 
portraits  far  better  worth  preserving  than  the  caricatures 
of  the  carnival ;  but  I  did  not,  and  in  my  memory  the 
multifarious  throng  becomes  a  dusky,  indistinguishable 
human  mass.  At  least,  the  only  figure  Avhich  comes 
forth  prominently  to  my  mind's  eye,  is  that  of  a  massive 
negress,  planted  solidly  upon  a  street  corner,  with  a 
gigantic  cigar  in  her  mouth,  and  a  broad,  unctuous 
aspect  of  the  serenest  satisfaction.  It  would  seem,  to 
look  at  her,  that  the  whole  spectacle  had  been  designed 
for  her  exclusive  benefit. 

The  procession,  having  finished  its  course,  disap- 
peared from  view,  but  the  crowd  seemed  loth  to  leave 
the  streets.  At  eleven,  it  w^as  still  surging  to  and  fro, 
and  I  went  to  sleep  by  its  murmur. 

Early  on  Easter-Even,  I  was  roused  by  a  wild  uproar 
w^ithout, — a  mingling  of  shouts  of  anger  and  execration 
with  sounds  of  blows  and  pistol-shots,  that  seemed 
serious.  With  visions  of  riot  and  revolution  and  slave 
insurrection  chasing  one  another  swiftly  through  my 
brain,  I  made  a  headlong  toilet,  and  rushed  to  the 
balcony.     There   I  beheld   a  wretched  effigy  dragged 


THE  ENTRANCE  AND   EXIT  OF  LENT.  193 

tliroiigh  the  street,  by  a  rope  round  its  neck,  and  fol- 
lowed and  set  w^ow  by  a  mob  tliat  spat  upon  it,  that 
beat  it  witli  sticks  and  brooms,  that  cut  it  with  knives 
and  riddled  it  "with  pistol-balls, — that,  in  short,  lavished 
upon  it  every  cruelty  and  indignity  which  human  in- 
genuity could  devise. 

"What  does  it  mean?"  I  asked,  wonderingly,  of 
Doiia  Coloma,  who  soon  joined  me. 

"It  is  Judas,  the  betrayer  of  our  Lord,"  she  ans- 
wered, gravel}^. 

The  disgusting  scene  was  closed  by  hanging  the 
effigy  from  the  liighest  attainable  post ;  where  it  served 
as  a  target  for  mischievous  boys  and  idle  negroes,  imtil 
fairly  annihilated  by  persistent  persecution.  This  was 
accomplished  ere  noon,  when  the  Lenten  quietude  once 
more  settled  over  the  city. 

But  with  the  breaking-of  Easter  morning,  lo  !  what  a 
change !  In  an  instant,  as  it  seems,  the  city  passes  from 
the  extremity  of  gloom  to  the  extremity  of  joy.  Bells 
peal — trumpets  sound — flags  wave — drums  beat — salutes 
are  fired  from  the  forts,  and  the  ships  in  the  harbor — 
volantes^  drays,  victorias,  whatever  goes  on  wheels, 
dash  noisily  through  the  streets — friends  exchange  glad 
greetings, — it  is  an  universal  chorus  of  rejoicing.  The 
risen  Christ  is  borne  through  the  city  in  triumphal  pro- 
cession, and  returns  to  the  cathedral  in  season  for  a 
gorgeous  scenic  service.  And  let  me  not  forget  to  note 
that,  for  the  first  time  in  this  "  Island  of  Flowers  " — as 
it  is  poetically  named — I  saw  the  altars  and  shrines 
decorated  with  fresh,  fragrant,  natural  blossoms,  in 
9 


194  3ir   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

jilace  of  tlie  gaudy  and  scentless  imitations  usually 
found  there.  A  Ciihana  would  fain  persuade  me  that 
the  latter,  representing  more  skill  and  money,  are  the 
worthier  offering.  I  am  slow  to  accept  the  conclusion. 
Even  here,  fresh  flowers  of  the  rarer  varieties,  offered 
daily,  would  cost  more,  in  care  and  labor,  than  their 
waxen  and  muslin  counterfeits,  seldom  renewed,  and 
often  faded  by  time  and  dingy  with  dust.  And  the  gain 
in  artistic  beauty,  in  j)oetic  sentiment  and  spiritual  har- 
mony, would  .be  incalculable.  Yet  a  second  thought 
compels  me  to  admit  that  I  may  here  be  talking  non- 
sense. There  is  so  little  that  is  fresh  and  natural  in  the 
Romish  ritual,  that  the  use  of  artificial  flowers  may  have 
grown  out  of  a  nicer,  deej^er  sense  of  fitness  than  1 
possess. 

It  would  be  pleasant  to  close  our  account  of  Easter 
rejoicings  here.  But  the  faithful  chronicle  must  needs 
state  furthermore  that,  with  its  unwonted  religious  ani- 
mation and  cheerfulness,  the  city  also  assumed  an  un- 
usual activity  of  secular  business  and  j^leasure.  Tlie 
shojDS  were  temptingly  open,  street-venders  were  noisy 
and  busy,  the  2^<^iseo  was  crowded,  the  retreta  exception- 
ally brilliant,  in  the  afternoon  there  was  a  bull-fight  at 
the  Plaza  de  Toros^  and  in  the  evening  an  operatic 
performance  at  the  Teatro  Estcban.  So  I  was  told,  at 
least, — for  I  verified  none  of  these  statements  save  by 
observations  from  my  balcony.  But  thence  I  witnessed 
so  many  profane  sights,  and  heard  so  many  profane 
sounds,  that  further  confirmation  was  unnecessary. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


COSAS    DE    CUBA. 


/^OUXTHIES,  like  individuals,  have  certain  ways  and 
habits  peculiar  to  themselves,  neither  the  origin 
nor  the  utility  of  which  is  always  j^atent  to  others. 
Often,  the  fact  that  they  exist  is  the  best  reason  assign- 
able for  their  existence.  In  Spain  these  things  have 
been  happily  termed,  cosas  de  Espana.  I  boiTow  the 
title,  with  an  obvious  variation,  for  a  chapter  devoted  to 
such  Cuban  ^peculiarities  as  do  not  come  easily  under 
other  heads. 

And  first,  the  climate.  Anything  more  delicious  can 
scarcely  be  conceived  of.  It  does  not  smile  at  you  one 
day  and  frown  at  you  the  next,  cmjonrcVhui  voire  servi- 
teur  et  deraain  Judas^  after  the  changeable  fashion  of 
our  northern  summer ;  but  day  after  day  of  genial  warmth 
and  imclouded  splendor  unfold  before  you,  more  intox- 
icatingly  sweet  and  surpassingly  fair  as  the  season 
advances.  The  terms  "  winter "  and  "  spring  "  seem 
almost  to  lose  their  significance  in  a  land  always  green 
with  verdure,  fragrant  with  bloom,  and  luscious  with 
fi*uit.  A  better  division  of  the  Cuban  year  is  into 
two  seasons,  the  wet  and  the  dry.     Tlie  former  begins 


196  MY    WIXTUIZ   IX  CUBA. 

late  ill  May,  and  lasts  till  October.  During  its  contin- 
uance, there  are  daily  showers,  often  accoinj)anied  by 
thunder  and  lightning;  which  serve  to  moderate  in  some 
degree  the  extreme  heat.  After  them  the  sun  shines  out 
bright,  the  air  is  both  fresh  and  soft,  the  verdure  seems 
ncAV-created,  flowers  open  and  scatter  their  perfume 
everywhere,  and  the  afternoon  drive  is  a  delight.  The 
dry  season  stretches  from  the  first  of  October  to  the  end 
of  May,  during  which  rain  is  of  rare  occurrence,  the 
variations  of  temperature  slight,  the  days  all  gold  and 
sapphire,  the  nights  all  silver  and  amethyst, — indeed, 
says  Frederika  Bremer,  "  there  could  not  be  more  beauti- 
ful nights  in  Paradise."  To  be  sure,  chill  winds  known 
as  los  nortes  do  now  and  then  blow  from  the  north, 
during  the  winter  months,  lasting,  possibly,  for  forty- 
eight  hours,  whereat  the  Cubans  shiver  and  grumble 
exceedingly ;  but  the  Northerner,  accustomed  to  Avinds 
of  much  austerer  temper,  scarce  minds  them  at  all.  Still, 
it  is  well  to  protect  one's  self  by  extra  clothing,  during 
their  continuance,  as  colds  for  the  careless  are  apt  to 
come  in  their  train.  The  mean  temperature  of  the  island, 
throughout  the  year,  is  declared  to  be  eighty  degrees ; 
during  the  hottest  months,  eighty-three.  In  the  middle 
of  the  day,  it  is  generally  quite  wami  enough  to  make 
rest,  idleness,  refrescos,  and  siestas,  agreeable ;  though 
the  heat  is  much  mitigated  by  the  sea-breeze,  which  reg- 
ularly rises  abo.ut  ten  o'clock,  and  subsides  at  four. 
Then,  a  delicious  breeze  from  the  land,  fragrant  with 
the  breath  of  innumerable  flowers,  springs  up ;  and  the 
nights  are  rarely  so  warm  as  to  interfere  with  sleep.     It 


COSAS  1)E   CUBA.  197 

■Nvill  be  recollected,  also,  that  the  houses  and  habits  of 
life .  are  arranged  to  suit  the  climate :  spacious  rooms, 
lofty,  wide-open  doors  and  windows,  marble  and  stone 
floors,  cane-seated  furniture,  the  cooling  refrescos  always 
at  hand,  the  custom  of  doing  all  out-door  business  before 
breakfast, — all  these  things  make  the  problem  "  Ilow-to- 
keep-cool "  much  easier  of  solution  than  we  are  apt  to 
find  it  during  the  hottest  part  of  our  northern  summer. 

Cuban  courtesy  is  perfection  itself,  to  outward  ap- 
peai-ance ;  but  some  of  it  turns  out  to  be  veneering  and 
not  true  wood,  on  examination.  When  I  call  upon  any 
of  Doiia  Coloma's  friends,  I  am  told,  with  a  sweeping, 
all-comprising  gesture, — "  This  house  is  your  home  ;  it, 
and  everything  it  contains,  are  at  your  disposal."  Ken- 
d^red  into  plain  English,  this  means,  simply,  "I  am 
glad  to  see  you ;  pray  call  again."  If  it  becomes  neces- 
sary for  me  to  ask,  "  Whose  book  is  this  ?  Whose  any- 
thing is  this  ?  "  the  rej^ly  (if  from  the  owner  thereof)  must 
needs  be,  "  Mine,  and  yours  also."  If  I  express  admira- 
tion of  anything, — no  matter  what,  horses,  furniture, 
ornaments,  the  dress  which  my  friend  is  wearing, — the 
invariable  response  is,  "  Take  it,  it  is  yours,"  or,  "  It  is 
entirely  at  your  disposal."  This  seems  lavishly,  and 
even  embarrassingly,  generous,  until  you  learn  that  its 
English  equivalent  would  be,  "  I  am  glad  that  you  ad- 
mire it."  I  remember  an  amusing  little  scene,  in  point. 
The  elder  Seiiora  Samano  received  a  birthday  gift  of  an 
embroidered  handkerchief  from  her  daughter,  which  she 
exhibited  to  Doiia  Mariquilla  and  myself,  with  a  beam- 
ing face ;  and  as  we  offered  the  expected  meed  of  admi- 


198  3rr  WINTER  IX  a  cm  A. 

ration,  she  repeated  to  each  of  us  the  usual  foiinula,  "It 
is  yours,"  and  then  composedly  folded  it  up  and  put  it 
in  her  pocket,  utterly  oblivious  of  the  fact  that  she  had 
twice  given  it  away  ! 

Occasionally,  some  foreigner,  more  obtuse  than  the 
generality,  accepts  the  gift  thus  offered,  and  the  Cuban 
is  forced  to  surrender  it,  or  to  explain  that  his  phrase- 
ology will  not  bear  too  literal  a  construction !  I  must 
do  him  the  justice  to  state  that  he  chooses  the  former 
course,  unless  the  article  in  question  is  of  great  value 
or  indispensable  necessity.  Indeed,  report  says  that  a 
certain  Havana  nabob,  being  thus  unexpectedly  taken 
at  his  word,  and  too  proiid  to  retract,  did  actually  send 
his  fine  carriage  and  horses,  with  his  compliments,  to 
the  door  of  the  simple-minded  American  who  had  ac- 
cepted them ! 

One  Cuban  custom  impresses  me  pleasantly — children 
always  kiss  the  Jiands  of  their  parents  by  way  of  saluta- 
tion and  leave-taking ;  the  kiss  on  the  moutli  may  follow 
if  they  clioose.  It  is  in  strong  contrast  with  the  rude 
familiarity  one  too  often  sees  in  American  children, 
Doiia  Coloma  lifts  the  hand  of  her  mother  to  her  lips 
with  a  pretty  air  of  reverent  tenderness,  and  the  stately 
old  lady  receives  her  homage  with  the  dignified  gracious- 
ness  of  a  benignant  sovereign ;  while  I,  looking  on,  am 
deeply  touched  by  the  beauty  and  fitness  of  the  custom, 
its  evident  rendering  of  that  honor  to  i^arents  to  which 
God  has  attached  the  promise  of  "  long  days  in  the 
land." 

A  young  colored-girl,  in  gala-day  attire,  entered  the 


cosAi^  i)±]  cm  A.  109 

sala  one  evening,  and  Avitli  many  courtesies  and  compli- 
ments, i^resented  each  member  of  tlie  family  a  "bit  of  gay 
ribbon,  folded  together,  with  a  knot  at  one  end,  and  a  silver 
coin  at  the  other.  This  was  a  pretty  Avay  of  giving 
notice  that  a  christening  had  taken  place  in  the  family 
of  an  acquaintance.  On  one  side  of  the  ribbon  was 
printed  the  child's  name,  and  the  date  of  birth,  and  on 
the  other  the  names  of  the  padrinos,  or  sponsors.  "When 
the  godfather,  whose  duty  it  is  to  provide  these  things, 
is  very  wealthy,  the  coin  affixed  is  of  gold. 

Apropos  to  this :  one  ef  the  house-servants  had  the 
honor  to  stand  as  godmother  to  the  child  of  a  friend 
recently,  and  after  the  ceremony  Avas  over,  she  brought 
her  godchild  to  exhibit  to  us,  in  its  christening  finery. 
And  very  fine,  indeed,  I  thought  it,  in  its  robe  of  white 
satin,  and  lace  overdress,  with  a  dainty  frill  around  its 
small  olive-colored  face ;  but  a  closer  inspection  showed 
that  this  elegant  toilet  was  a  compound  that  would  not 
bear  resolving.  The  satin  and  lace  robe  was  only  a  sort 
of  ajDron,  looking  extremely  well  as  long  as  the  infant 
was  held  right  side  out  in  the  nurse's  arms ;  but  on  its 
being  reversed,  a  quite  unexpected  background  to  so  fair 
a  picture  was  presented,  of  which  the  most  noticeable 
feature  was  a  dingy  brown  flannel  petticoat ! 

Cuban  children,  Tv^ite  and  black,  are  evidently  con- 
sidered to  be  yet  in  a  state  of  paradisiacal  innocence, 
and  are  clothed — or  unclothed — accordingly.  Hafael, 
Cliristinita,  and  Ramona,  are  running  about  "  sublimely 
in  the  nude,"  as  Aurora  Leigh  hath  it,  for  a  good  part  of 
the  time ;  ready  to  serve,  at  short  notice,  for  tableaux,  of 


200  3fr   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

Cupid  or  the  Cherubim.  One  who  lias  not  had  the 
advantage  of  being  brought  up  to  that  sort  of  thing, 
cannot  wholly  enjoy  their  2^oses  when  the  gentlemen  are 
about :  nevertheless,  one  of  the  very  finest  jHctures  in 
my  Cuban  gallery  is  the  naked  Christinita  in  the  arms  of 
her  black  nurse,  and  both  fast  asleep  in  a  large  chair ; 
the  fair,  rounded  outlines  and  delicate  features  of  the 
Caucasian  child  being  strongly  contrasted  with  the 
black,  brawny  arm  and  coarse  traits  of  the  African 
woman.  A  better  subject  for  painter's  skill  is  rarely 
seen.  Excellent  types  of  two  Avidely  different,  yet 
strangely  associated,  races ;  the  ignorant,  brute  fidelity 
of  the  slave  touchingly  apparent  in  the  close  embrace 
wherewith,  even  in  her  slumber,  she  holds  the  child  to 
her  bosom ;  the  fine  lines  of  whose  fair  figure  and  promi- 
nent brow  sjieak  clearly  of  a  more  delicate  organization, 
a  higher  intellect,  a  richer  cultivation.  I  know  not  how 
long  I  stood  musing  before  these  eloquent  figures — so 
long  that  even  the  rude  perceptions  of  the  negress  felt 
the  magnetism  of  my  steady  gaze,  and  she  woke  to  stam- 
mer an  excuse  for  being  caught  sleeping  in  the  "  sala." 

N'or  is  nudity  confined  to  the  day  only.  Xight  after 
night  I  have  seen  the  little  ones  laid,  stark  naked,  on 
their  hard  beds,  under  a  mosquito  net,  and  left  to  go  to 
sleep  without  other  covering  than  the  soft  air.  The 
dreamy  journey  being  accomplished,  a  linen  sheet  may 
or  may  not  be  drawn  over  them,  at  the  discretion  of  the 
nurse.  It  must  be  confessed  that  they  thrive  on  this 
regimen.  Healthier  children,  or  more  finely  developed 
forms,  are  not  to  be  found. 


COSAS  DE   CUBA.  201 

Next  to  no  costume  naturally  comes  thin  costume.  I 
have  seen  a  boy  of  six  years  old,  clad  in  pantaloons  and 
blouse  of  sheer,  white  nmslin, — nothing  else — as  I  hope 
to  be  believed ! 

Moreover,  if  there  be  need  of  the  services  of  a 
painter,  whitewasher,  or  carpenter,  in  any  Cuban  dwel- 
ling, let  not  the  foreign  visitor  be  surprised  nor  dis- 
concerted to  see  his  shirt  worn  carelessly  outside  his 
pants !  It  is  cooler  thus,  and  less  restraint  upon  motion. 
And  time  will  teach  her  that,  so  far  from  having  any 
cause  to  complain  of  his  fashion  of  wearing  the  gai-ment, 
she  has  reason  to  be  thankful  that  he  is  not  in  his  skin 
only,  from  his  Avaist  upwards. 

One  odd  Cuban  custom  was  made  known  to  mo 
through  the  medium  of  a  tall,  sullen-looking  negresSj 
named  Rosa,  once  hired  to  assist  in  the  laundry.  Scarce 
a  week  of  her  occupancy  had  gone  by,  ere  Ricardo, 
lynx-eyed  in  detecting  offences  and  offenders,  came  to 
report  that  he  suspected  her  of  stealing.  "  Bring  me 
proofs,  not  suspicions,"  responded  his  mistress,  curtly. 
Two  days  after,  the  proofs  Avere  forthcoming,  in  the 
shape  of  an  odd  assortment  of  coals,  candles,  crackers, 
toAvels,  stockings,  thread,  etc.,  etc.,  which  the  Chinaman 
had  fen*eted  out  of  some  secret  corner  and  spread  in 
order  upon  the  dining-room  table,  like  a  collection  of 
curiosities. 

"Put  them  back  Avhere  you  found  them,  and  send 
Rosa  to  me,"  said  la  senora,  after  a  brief  inspection. 

The  woman  shortly  appeared,  glancing  around  her 
suspiciously. 
9* 


202  MY   WINTER    TN  CUBA. 

"Where  did  you  tell  me  that  you  worked  last?" 
asked  Dona  Coloma,  quietlj^ 

"At  Madruga,  seuora.^^ 

"  Why  did  you  leave  there  ?  " 

"  I  could  not  get  any  more  work." 

"Take  off  your  turban." 

The  negress  started  back  with  a  cry  of  alarm  and 
remonstrance. 

The  seiiora  made  a  slight,  significant  gesture;  and 
Atanasia,  who  was  standing  near,  snatched  off  the 
turban  ere  the  wearer  comprehended  what  she  was 
about.  With  it  came  an  artistic  padding  of  moss,  doing 
duty  for  hair ;  and  underneath  was  a  bare-shaven  poll ! 

"Enough,"  said  Dona  Coloma,  "pay  her  her  wages, 
and  send  her  off." 

And  thus  I  learned  that  all  blacks  detected  in  thiev- 
ing, even  children,  are  immediately  shaven;  which 
brands  them  sufficiently,  for  a  time,  at  least.  It  is  not 
uncommon,  in  hiring  strange  negresses,  to  request  them 
to  take  off  their  turbans, — a  precaution  which,  in  this 
instance,  had  been  unwisely  omitted. 

Set  it  down  as  a  creditable  cosa  de  Citha  that  intoxi- 
cation is  either  very  rare,  or  kept  out  of  sight.  I  have 
not  yet  seen  a  case  of  it.  The  nearest  approach  there- 
unto was  a  negro,  who  went  past  the  house  singing 
noisily  one  night ,  and  was,  apparently,  put  under  an 
extinguisher  by  the  sereno  at  the  corner. 

Every  resident  of  Cuba  is  required  to  give  notice  to 
the  proper  official  of  any  change  of  domicil;  of  every 
increase   or   diminution   of  his  household,  whether  by 


COSAS  BE   CUBA.  203 

birth,  death,  arrival  and  departure  of  guests,  lodgevs, 
etccetera\  and  of  all  reunions,  balls,  parties,  and  other 
large  entertainments,  that  he  proposes  to  give ; — in  all 
which  matters  the  governriient  takes  a  lively  interest. 
And  if  he  is  mse,  he  will  put  his  name  to  no  petitions, 
— certainly  to  none  signed  by  more  than  two  of  his 
neighbors, — lest  he  furnish  ground  for  an  accusation  of 
conspiracy  and  sedition,  and  consequent  arrest  and  trial. 

Moreover,  if  he  wishes  to  engage  in  building,  or 
repairs,  he  must  first  procure,  and  pay  for,  a  license. 
But  lie  must  not  construe  this  into  an  unlimited  permis- 
sion to  blockade  the  street,  and  endanger  the  lives  of 
unwary  passers  by.  AYherever,  at  night,  a  pile  of  brick, 
stone,  or  plank,  a  mortar-bed,  a  gap  in  the  pavement,  or 
other  nuisance  occasioned  by  building,  is  found  in  a 
Cuban  street;  it  will  also  be  found  to  be  surmounted 
by  a  pole  and  a  lantern,  making  it  visible  afar  off, 
and  allowing  its  exact  nature  and  extent  to  be  seen 
and  avoided.  Any  failure  to  set  up  this  beacon  is 
punishable  by  a  heavy  fine.  The  blockade  will  also  be 
scrupulously  limited  to  one  third  of  the  narrow  street. 
"What  would  New  Yorkers,  accustomed  to  obstruct  their 
thoroughfares  with  building  materials,  and  to  tumble 
over  them,  at  their  own  sweet  will,  say  to  restrictions 
such  as  these  ? 

Of  all  cosas  de  Cuba,  none  is  so  irksome  to  ladies 
from  the  United  States  as  the  social  edict  which  confines 
them  so  much  within  doors,  forbidding  tliem  to  drive 
or  ride  with  other  male  friend  than  liusband,  father,  or 
brother;  and  debariing  them  from  walking,  except  to 


204  J/r   WIXTER   IN  CUBA. 

churcli,  and  then  only  under  the  protection  of  page,  or 
duenna^  or  near  male  relative.  ISTor  is  this  law  to  be 
violated  witli  impunity,  as  I  have  reason  to  know.  For 
one  morning,  Juan,  having  occasion  to  drive  out  in  a 
buggy,  invited  me  to  accompany  him,  little  .thinking 
what  a  commotion  so  simple  a  proceeding  was  to  excite. 
Xo  sooner  did  Ave  appear  in  the  streets  than  everybody 
— ^men,  women,  and  children, — stopped  to  gaze,  as  if 
spellbound; — people  at  the  windows  called  to  those 
within  to  come  and  look,  and  they  who  were  called 
came,  in  every  A^ariety  of  dress  and  undress,  and  with 
every  sort  of  implement,  stopping  not  to  don  or  drop 
anything.  One  man  ran  in  his  shirt  only,  women  rushed 
to  the  windows  with  streaming  hair,  cooks  came  Avith 
frying-pans  in  hand,  laundresses  Avith  flat  irons,  clerks 
with  goods,  and  the  merchant  AA^th  his  j^eu.  They 
shouted — -they  laughed — they  gesticulated — they  gazed 
in  open-mouthed  wonder — they  seemed  to  haA^e  gone 
stark,  staring  mad.  We  might  have  been  tracked 
through  the  city  by  the  dazed,  Avondering,  excited  faces 
that  we  left  behind  us.  The  thing  was  so  ridiculous 
that  it  was  impossible  not  to  laugh  ;  yet  it  was  unpleas- 
ant, too,  to  be  the  subject  of  so  much  amazed  and 
jeering  comment,  and  I  uttered  an  emphatic  resolve  to 
try  the  buggy  no  more.  But  Juan  decreed  otherwise. 
"  We  are  neither  of  us  Cubans,"  said  he,  "  and  in  this 
matter,  there  is  no  good  reason  why  we  should  be  bound 
by  their  senseless  customs.  A  morning  drive,  now  and 
then,  will  do  you  good.  And  the  j^eople  AA'ill  soon  get 
accustomed  to  the  sight.     A  nine  days'  wonder  ncA^er 


COSAS  DE   CUBA.  205 

lasts  ten."  AYliicli  conclusion  proved  to  be  drawn  from 
tlie  fount  of  "wisdom.  Long  ere  its  ninth  appearance, 
the  buggy,  Avitli  its  freight,  was  suffered  to  go  and  come 
through  the  city  as  unnoticed  as  any  market  wagon. 

The  Cuban  way  of  attracting  attention  is  by  means 
of  a  sharp,  sibillant  sound,  best  represented  by  the  let- 
ters, "  P-s-t !  "  With  this,  servants  are  summoned, 
volantes  stopped,  street  venders  signaled,  children  called 
to  order,  and  the  notice  of  friend  or  stranger  arrested. 
The  Cuban  mode  of  beckoning  also  differs  from  ours. 
The  hand  is  held  up  with  the  palm  outwards,  and  the 
fingers  moved  in  a  way  that  we  should  be  certain  to 
interpret  as  a  sign  to  depart  and  be  seen  no  more. 

A  noticeable  cosa  de  Jfatanzas  is  the  prevalence 
of  images  of  the  Virgin,  one  or  more  of  which  seems 
to  be  enshrined  in  every  dwelling.  It  occurred  to 
me  to  wonder  whence  these  things  came,  and  to  ask  if 
they  constituted  a  regular  branch  of  trade.  To  which 
Don  Enrique  replied,  that  they  were  mucli  more  common 
than  formerly,  owing  to  the  fact  that  a  neighboring  com- 
mission and  shipping  house  not  long  since  received  from 
Spain,  to  its  great  surprise  and  disgust,  a  large  consign- 
ment of  ^particularly  ugly  undressed  dolls.  Such,  at 
least,  they  were  at  first  supposed  to  be ;  but  they  proved 
to  be  invoiced  as  "  Yirgejies  santisimas  " — that  is  to  say, 
representations  of  the  Virgin.  Scarcely  better  pleased 
witli  this  view  of  the  case,  the  firm  nevertheless  decided 
to  put  a  good  face  on  it,  and  duly  advertised  for  sale, 
"  Vlrgenes  santisimas,  direct  from  Spain."  Tlie  rush 
that  followed  was  beyond  anything  ever  seen  in  Matan- 


20G  3fr   WINTER   IK  CUBA. 

zas.  The  street  leading  to  the  warcliouse  was  literally 
packed  with  volantes^  wherein  the  fairest  aristocracy 
of  the  city  and  suburbs  patiently  waited  their  turn 
to  be  served  (to  say  nothing  of  humbler  custom- 
ers) ;  and  the  whole  lot  of  images  was  sold  out  at  a 
handsome  i:)rofit,  long  before  the  demand  ceased ; — each 
j)urchaser  triumphantly  bearing  off  her  prize,  to  be  fitted 
for  use  by  being  first  decked  in  costly  array,  and  then 
presented  to  a  priest  for  consecration. 

The  dowry  of  a  widow  in  Cuba  consists  of  one  half 
the  gain  made  during  the  years  of  wedlock.  For  ex- 
ample, a  neighbor  recently  died,  leaving  property  valued 
at  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  ;  he  was  worth 
thirty  thousand  at  his  marriage;  the  widow's  share, 
therefore,  was  one  hundred  and  ten  thousand.  This  is 
giving  direct  and  fitting  testimony  to  the  value  of  the 
wife's  assistance  to  her  husband ;  in  advice,  encourage- 
ment, economy,  etc.,  and  seemed  to  me  more  just  than 
the  "third"  apportioned  to  her  use  by  our  laws.  But 
if  there  be  no  increase  ?     "  Ay,  there's  the  rub  !" 

Insect-life  in  Cuba  is  abundant  and  manifold,  but 
when  it  develops  in  the  shape  of  aranas  x>eludas  (hairy 
spiders)  two  inches  long,  and  long-tailed  scorpions  vic- 
ious and  spiteful  enough  to  contain  the  combined  venom 
of  a  whole  generation  of  metemsychosed  wasps,  one 
prefers  to  examine  it  post  mortem.  To  ants,  however,  I 
have  become  so  accustomed  that  I  do  not  always  take 
the  trouble  to  brush  them  off  the  articles  Avhich  I  am 
using  ;  though  I  do  object  to  have  my  washstand  pitcher 
chosen  by  a  whole  colony  bent  on  suicide,  as  a  conven- 


COS  AS  DE   CUBA.  207 

lent  means  of  quitting  this  sphere  of  existence.  As  for 
cockroaches,  I  liave  a  suspicion  that  tlie  floor  of  my 
room  is  alive  with  them  o'  nights ;  and  scouts  are  fre- 
quently seen  drawing  a  bee-line  across  the  white  marble 
slabs  of  tlie  sala^  on  warm  evenings,  which  no  one 
seems  to  think  it  worth  while  to  arrest.  Mosquitoes 
appear  to  be  but  little  troublesome  to  the  natives,  during 
the  daytime;  but  they  come  in  swarms  to  enjoy  tlie  flavor 
of  what  Dona  Coloma  calls  the  "thicker  blood"  of 
northern  visitors, — a  musical  throng  of  them  generally 
hovering  around  me  when  I  am  at  work,  while  my  com- 
panions are  left  unmolested. 

But  a  really  beautiful  and  interesting  insect  is  the 
cocullo^  or  firefly  of  the  West  Indies,  two  of  which  I 
now  have  upon  my  table  in  an  impromptu  cage.  Very 
docile  are  they  in  my  hands, — to  whose  touch  they  seem 
to  have  become  pleasantly  accustomed ; — taking  kindly 
to  a  diet  of  moist  sugar  in  lieu  of  the  sugar-cane  which 
is  their  natural  food,  and  accepting  a  semi-daily  bath  in 
my  wash-basin  with  much  aj^parent  enjoyment,  floating 
about  in  the  water  for  several  minutes,  and  then  spread- 
ing their  legs  and  feelers  as  a  sign  that  they  are  ready 
to  come  out.  Tliey  are  a  sufficiently  unattractive  bug 
in  their  unillumined  state,  being  of  a  dingy,  earth-brown 
color,  and  about  the  shape  and  size  of  a  large  cock- 
roach ;  but  they  become  so  glorified  by  the  irradiation 
of  those  wondrous  orbs  of  ^Dhosphorescent  light  which 
they  carry  about  on  their  shoulders,  that  cliildren 
scream  witli  delight  at  the  sight  of  them,  and  ladies 
make  pets  of  them  as  I  do,  and  even  use  them  for  orna- 


208  311"   WINTER   IX  CUBA. 

ments  on  some  occasions.  I  once  saw  a  lady  at  the 
retreta^  witli  a  coronet,  stomacher,  and  bracelets  of 
them,  and  all  the  crown  jewels  of  Spain  could  not  have 
made  her  so  resplendent.  Their  light  is  not  a  momen- 
tary flash,  like  that  of  our  northern  fire-fly;  but  it  is 
emitted  in  a  brilliant,  steady  ray,  at  will,  and  is  of  ex- 
treme beauty  of  tint,  being  of  a  slightly  greenish  yellow 
from  one  point  of  view,  and  of  a  pale  red  from  another. 
It  is  a  touching  fact  that  the  poorer  classes  are  furnished 
with  a  most  beautiful  and  inexpensive  light  for  night- 
watchings,  wlien  sickness  visits  their  dwellings,  by  con- 
fining a  half-dozen  cociiUos  in  a  cage,  and  suspending 
them  from  the  ceiling.* 

Is  it  known  to  the  medical  world  that  the  Chmese 
(in  Cuba,  at  least)  are  wont  to  vaccinate  in  the  tip  of  the 
nose  ?  Doiia  Tomasita  informs  me  that  her  coolie  ser- 
vant has  recently  undergone  the  operation  at  the  hands 
of  an  expert  of  his  own  race,  and  is  carrying  about  "  a 
nose  as  big  as  a  cocoa-nut."    She  further  assures  me  that 

"  It  may  interest  some  reader  to  know  that  the  cocullos  will 
bear  transportation  to  the  United  States.  The  pair  above-men- 
tioned crossed  the  Gulf  with  me,  and  were  my  fellow-travellers 
for  a  month  at  the  South.  As  it  was  necessary  to  carry  them 
openly  by  hand,  in  order  to  attend  to  their  wants  and  give  them 
sufficient  air,  they  attracted  an  almost  annoying  amount  of  atten- 
tion in  cars,  steamboats,  and  hotels,  as  soon  as  nightfall  brought 
out  their  splendor  ;  bringing  curious  strangers  in  crowds,  to  inquire 
into  their  character  and  history.  If  I  tried  to  partially  conceal 
them  with  my  shawl,  it  was  only  to  be  stopped  at  every  turn 
with  the  good-natured  warning,  "  You're  a-fire  there,  some- 
where ! "     In  hotels  where  they  remained  long  enough  to  become 


COSAS  BE   CUBA.  209 

this  mode  of  vaccination  is  more  effectual  than  ours,  and 
never  needs  to  be  repeated ; — but  I  vouch  for  nothing 
which  comes  not  under  my  own  observation. 

A  specimen  of  Cuban-English  shall  serve  for  finale. 
A  certain  youth,  whom  I  meet  occasionally,  anxious  to 
display  his  knowledge  of  my  native  language,  often 
assails  me  with  an  idiom  far  more  puzzling  than  any 
Spanish.  He  once  informed  me  that,  at  a  house  across 
the  way,  they  "  swallowed  boarders !" 

"  SAvallow  what  ?  "  said  I,  utterly  at  a  loss. 

"Boarders — hoar-ders — how  you  call? — liuespedes ? '*'' 

"Oh,"  said  I,  enlightened  by  the  Spanish  word, 
"  You  mean  that  they  take  boardej's." 

"  Si,  seiiora ;  no  is  '  take  '  and  '  swallow '  the  same  ? 
I  take  medicine,  and  I  swallow  it,  too,  no  don't  I  ?  <' 

Furthermore,  my  young  Cuban  avowed  that  when 
he  was  m  the  United  States  he  "  did  not  call  on  the 
Episcopal  Church,  but  on  the  Methodist!"  It  was 
with  some  difficulty  that  I  repressed  my  inclination  to 

known,  it  grew  to  be  a  regular  thing  for  tliem  to  hold  a  drawing- 
room  reception  every  evening  "  by  request,"— the  guests  seem- 
ing never  to  tire  of  watching  their  weird  flight  through  the 
darkened  room,  with  alternate  thrills  of  terror  and  delight ;  or  of 
testing  their  recognition  of  me  by  observing  how  quickly  they 
dimmed  their  light  in  strange  hands,  but  immediately  kindled 
it  to  its  fullest  brilliancy  on  being  restored  to  mine.  Both  ended 
their  career  in  Savannah ; — one  apparently  died  a  natural  death, 
and  the  other,  having  escaped  from  its  cage  in  the  daytime,  was 
mistaken  by  the  chambermaid  for  a  gigantic  cockroach,  and 
crushed  accordingly;  so  that  I  was  disappointed  in  bringing 
either  to  my  own  home. 


210  3rr   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

ask  if  the  Methodist  Church  was  inclined  to  be  sociable 
and  retuiTicd  the  call !  And  he  added  that  he  had  told 
his  American  landlady  that  he  would  gladly  take  his 
old  room,  on  his  return,  "if  it  was  not  busy ;'*'*  and 
shortly  afterward  apologized  for  a  "  mistake "  (that  is 
to  say,  a  stain)  upon  his  otherwise  immaculately  white 
linen  coat — white  linen  suits  being  the  ordinary  wear  for 
gentlemen  in  Cuba. 

Doubtless  I  commit  equally  absurd  blunders  in 
Spanish,  but  my  friends  are  far  too  polite  to  make  me 
aware  of  them.  Long  live  the  graceful  Cuban  courtesy, 
and  may  the  years  give  to  it  a  richer  flavor  of  sincerity 
and  truth  I 


CHAPTER  XXL 

TO   SANTA   SOFIA. 

a  /CAPRICIOUS  April "  was  sung  by  a  northern 
poet.  In  the  tropics,  that  graceful  and  freakish 
fairy  is  transformed  into  a  lotus-crowned,  olive-browed, 
slumbrous-eyed  houri,  full  of  soft,  warm,  languid  life, 
whose  breath  intoxicates,  and  whose  embrace  soothes. 
tJnder  her  reign,  Nature  lapses  dreamily  into  her  "  melt- 
ing mood,"  and  the  earth  steeps  and  simmers  in  the  fiery 
glow  of  a  sunshine  that  seems  like  a  consummate  ex- 
tract of  fine  gold,  poured  red-hot  over  the  palpitating 
landscape.  Whosoever  travels  in  Cuba,  at  this  season, 
does  so,  as  far  as  it  is  practicable,  in  the  cool  of  the 
morning,  while  there  is  yet  more  gold  than  heat  in  the 
sunbeams.  So  Juan  and  I,  vis-a-vis  and  alone,  break- 
fasted sumptuously  on  fish,  eggs,  rice,  and  bananas,  with 
due  allowance  of  vino  Catalan  and  cofiee ;  and  then,  as 
quickly  as  the  thing  could  be  efiected,  by  means  of  a 
crazy  volante  and  a  covetous-eyed  ealesero,  were  trans- 
ferred to  a  first-class  car  of  the  "  Matanzas  and  Baro 
Railway,"  and  were  soon  dashing  southward. 

The  first  object  of  interest  was  the  Monte  del  Pan^ 
now  first  seen  close  at  hand,  and  discovering  to  us  that 
it  has  many  aspects  wherewith  to  enchant  the  beholder. 


212  3fr   WINTER  IX  CUBA. 

Seen  from  Matanzas,  it  is  a  blue,  aerial  dome,  fit  to 
crown  a  dream-cathedral;  from  the  Cumbres,  it  is  a 
cone,  sculptured  sharply  against  the  velvet  sky ;  here,  it 
stretches  out  in  an  irregular,  serried  chain,  and  is  found 
to  be  not  one,  but  many  peaks,  linking  hands  together 
for  solemn  conference,  or  sombre-browed  companion- 
ship* Darting  out  from  their  shadow,  we  came  upon  a 
succession  of  soft,  wavy  swells  and  subsidences — fields 
of  corn,  cane,  and  yuca — vegetable  gardens — orange 
groves — plantations  of  pine-apple,  tobacco,  banana,  and 
cocoa-nut — colonnaded  villas — and  bamboo-framed,  palm- 
thatched  cottages.  To  these  succeeded  long  reaches  of 
level  plain,  thickly  overgrown  with  wiry  grass  and  sav- 
age shrubbery ;  and  anon,  came  tangled  thickets,  bushy 
slopes,  wooded  and  rocky  hillsides,  and  wayward  streams, 
whose  deeply  fertile  banks  gave  life  and  luxuriance  to  a 
dense  variety  of  succulent  stems  and  gigantic  leaves. 
Wild  flowers  of  every  hue  and  odor,  and  wild  vines 
gifted  with  every  peculiarity  of  creep  and  cling,  covered 
the  ground  and  the  thickets.  Among  the  latter,  climb- 
fug  and  rioting  everywhere,  and  too  happy  in  its  freedom 
to  shut  its  eyes  till  late  in  the  afternoon,  the  morning- 
glory  mocked  me  with  a  strange  familiarity  in  unfamili- 
arity, — so  much  more  luxuriant  was  it,  growing  wild 
here,  than  in  its  cultivated  state  at  home.,  and  yet  so 
little  modified,  in  most  of  its  characteristics,  by  differ- 
ence of  climate.  Perhaps  the  loveliest  "  bit "  that  I 
saw  that  morning,  was  a  crystal  lakelet,  Avhose  banks 
were  just  a  tangled  mass  of  these  cheery  blossoms;  and 
which  looked  like  a  large  diamond  flung  carelessly' into 


TO   SANTA   SOFIA.  213 

a  radiant  heap  of  sapphires,  amethysts,  and  pearls. 
Tlie  flowers  entirely  hid  the  foliage, — the  only  hint  of 
green  abont  the  pictnre  being  the  placid  reflection  of  tlie 
crests  of  two  or  tliree  lofty  palm-trees  in  the  lakelet's 
smooth  mirror. 

The  inhabitants  have  done  so  little  to  chanire  this 
part  of  their  country,  or  Nature  has  lent  lierself  so 
kindly  to  their  ways,  that  it  is  easy  to  think  it  is  the 
very  same  landscape  on  which  the  eyes  of  the  first  ex- 
jflorers  rested ;  whereof  Columbus  wrote  so  enthusiasti- 
cally, deploring  his  inability  to  delineate  the  beauty  of 
"  the  new  heaven  and  new  eartli  whicli  had  opened  to 
his  view,"  and  making  wondering  mention  of  the  fact 
that  he  had  found  "  pines  and  palms  growing  together," 
— those  most  characteristic  types  of  arctic  and  equatorial 
vegetation  dwelling  here,  side  by  side,  in  curious  and 
l^icturesque  harmony. 

By  and  by,  the  wild  and  picturesque  character  of  the 
landscape  gives  j^lace  to  a  more  level  and  cultivated 
aspect ;  the  hills  recede  to  a  soft,  undulating  line  on  the 
horizon ;  a  green  luxuriance  of  sugar-cane  fills  the  val- 
leys ;  lune  and  aloe  hedges  perfume  the  air ;  tall,  white 
chunneys  send  up  black  columns  of  smoke ;  and  com- 
l^act  villages,  consisting  of  a  small  plaza  and  a  street  or 
tAVO  of  contiguous  houses,  with  the  gray  tower  of  a 
church  rising  among  the  red-tiled  roofs,  meet  us  here 
and  there. 

Through  all  these  scenes  we  dart  at  the  usual  rate  of 
railway  travel,  amid  ever-growing  heats,  until  the  fixed  fer- 
vor of  noon  is  upon  us,  the  tired  sea-breeze  swoons  away  m 


214  Ml"   WINTER   IX  CUBA. 

the  distant  hills,  and  the  earth  lies,  snn-tranced  and  silent, 
under  the  glowing  sky.  AYe  buy  fruit,  at  the  stations, 
from  turbaned  negro-girls,  with  soft,  dusky  eyes  and  illim- 
itable lips ;  and  we  drink  cool  cocoa-nut  water  from  the 
green  shell.  We  stare  lazily  at  our  travelling  compan- 
ions,— mostly  business  men,  in  white  linen  suits ;  but  a 
bundle  of  red  shawls  marks  the  whereabout  of  one 
woman,  fast  asleep,  another  is  chatting  merrily  with  her 
escort,  and  an  old  negress,  crouched  in  a  corner,  with  a 
pipe  in  her  mouth,  looks  like  a  heap  of  ragged  blankets, 
smouldering  within,  and  sending  out  smoke  from  a 
chance  opening.  We  buy  the  sixteenth  share  of  a 
lottery-ticket, — not  that  we  look  for  any  favor  at  Dame 
Fortune's  tricky  hands,  but  because  the  vendor  thereof 
is  a  one-armed  soldier,  pale  and  trembling  from  a  recent 
amputation,  with  dark,  melancholy  eyes,  and  a  face  of 
hopeless  misery.  This  is  a  pleasant  way  that  the  Gov- 
ernment has  of  i^roviding  for  her  invalided  servants; 
she  gives  them  a  small  monopoly  of  routes  and  lottery- 
tickets. 

Often,  the  stations  consist  of  a  single  building,  w^herein 
the  produce  of  the  neighboring  plantations  is  collected 
for  transportation;  one  of  them  is  in  the  midst  of  a 
canefield,  and  engineer  and  brakemen  plunge  into  the 
green  rows  with  drawn  knives,  and  help  themselves  to  a 
supply  of  this  tropical  refreshment  sufficient  to  chew 
upon  for  the  next  hour.  Here,  idlers  are  few,^and  pas- 
sengers fewer  still. 

About  one  o'clock,  we  change  cars  at  Union,  a  town 
that  seems  a  trifle  more  wide-awake  than  its  neighbors; 


TO  SANTA   SOFIA.  219 

and  in  the  course  of  an  hour,  we  are  dropped  at  a  little 
sun-burned  and  sleepy  station  in  the  heart  of  tlie  sugar- 
country.  Here,  a  tall,  Avhite-haired  negro,  with  a  sword 
at  his  side  and  a  pistol  in  his  belt,  accosts  Juan  respect- 
fully, conducts  us  to  a  volante  in  waiting,  mounts  the 
postilion-horse,  cracks  his  whip,  and  we  are  en  route  for 
Santa  Sofia, — an  inrjenio  or  sugar  estate,  owned  by  a 
branch  of  that  House  of  Saraano,  to  whose  overflowing 
kindness  I  am  already  so  deeply  indebted  for  Cuban 
sight-seeings  and  enjoyments.  Our  way  lies  through  a 
lonely  sea  of  sugar-cane,  traversed  by  2>alm-bordered 
avenues,  or  lanes  hedged  with  a  dense  and  varied  accu- 
mulation of  tropical  vegetation ;  through  which  avo 
journey  at  a  rattling  pace,  while  Juan  explains  to  me 
that  our  calesero  goes  armed,  in  order  to  be  ready  for 
the  attacks  of  runaway  slaves,  coolies,  and  other  desper- 
adoes, who  sometimes  lurk  in  the  cane  and  thickets,  with 
intent  to  rob,  and  no  insuperable  objection  to  murder. 
And  as  our  guide  is  a  faithful  servitor  of  his  master, 
entrusted  with  all  of  the  marketing  and  much  of  the 
expressage  of  the  house,  he  is  in  special  danger  of 
molestation. 

A  drive  of  three  or  four  miles  broui^ht  us  to  the 
casa  de  vivienda^ — a  large,  white,  colonnaded  structure, 
with  interior  court.  On  its  broad  piazza,  a  pleasant  fam- 
ily party  was  gathered  to  welcome  us,  consisting  of 
Don  Gervasio,  a  grave  and  reverend  Spanish  senor^ — 
Doiia  Carlota,  a  stately  elderly  dame, — their  eldest  son, 
Don  Julio,  Cuban  bom  and  bred, — his  Avife,  Dona  An- 
gela, a  highly  accomplished  and  fascinating  Barcelonian, 


216  ITY   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

— a  bevy  of  dark-eyed  senoritas^  and  three  lovely  chil- 
dren. Here,  I  fell  under  the  magic  of  a  hospitality  never 
excelled,  within  my  experience,  in  the  quality  of  putting 
a  guest  entirely  at  ease, — a  hospitality  so  frank,  so 
graceful,  and  so  delicate,  as  to  make  my  stay  at  Santa 
Sofia  wholly  delightful  at  the  time,  and  surrounding  it 
with  a  kind  of  halo,  in  the  retrospect. 


CHAPTER  XXIL 


THE    IXGEXIO. 


TNGEXIO — meaning  literally,  engine — is  a  word  of 
elastic  signification.  Covering,  in  its  broadest  sense, 
the  whole  sugar  j^lantation  of  thousands  of  acres,  its 
meaning  is  first  limited  to  apply  to  the  large  building 
devoted  to  sugar-making,  and  on  entering  that,  it  is 
found  to  be  still  further  contracted  to  fit  the  powerful 
steam-engine  which  drives  the  works. 

My  first  visit  was  to  the  ingenio  building,  or  sugar- 
house, — a  vast  extent  of  red  roof,  one  hundred  and 
eighty  feet  long,  and  scarcely  less  than  half  as  wide, 
supported  on  stout  pillars,  and  pierced  by  a  tall,  smoke- 
vomitmg  chimney ;  under  which  roof  the  toilsome  pro- 
cess of  sugar-making  goes  on  •unintermittedly  during 
the  grinding  season.  The  cane,  fresh  cut  from  the 
fields,  is  brought  in  carts  to  one  end  of  the  long  build- 
ing, where  it  is  laid,  by  hand,  lengthwise,  on  a  flexible, 
revolving  conductor  made  of  wooden  slats  and  links  of 
chain,  which  conveys  it  between  three  huge,  heavy,  hor- 
izontal rollers,  called  maqidnas  de  moler.  From  these 
it  emerges,  on  the  opposite  side,  crushed  and  dry ;  and  a 
second  conductor  takes  it  outside  the  building,  and 
dumps  it  into  carts,  when  it  is  earned  away  to  be  first 
10 


218  3fr  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

thoroughly  dried  in  the  sun,  and  then  stored  to  serve 
as  fuel  for  the  furnaces.  The  expressed  juice  falls  into 
a  receiver  beneath  the  rollers,  whence  it  is  pumped  into 
a  long  trough  overhead  ;  through  which  it  flows  into  a 
large  reservoir  where  it  is  gently  heated,  and  deposits 
whatever  bits  of  cane  and  other  impurities  have  accom- 
panied it  thus  far.  From  this  it  is  drawn  into  the  first  of  a 
"  train  "  of  three  immense  caldrons,  in  which  it  undergoes 
a  rapid  boiling,  the  process  of  defecation  being  assisted 
by  the  admixture  of  a  small  quantity  of  lime ;  and  is 
then  successively  ladled  into  the  two  remaining  caldrons, 
and  boiled,  stirred,  and  skimmed,  until  it  reaches  the 
granulating  point.  Next,  it  is  poured  into  large,  open, 
shallow  vats,  and  left  to  cool.  When  cold,  it  looks 
somewhat  like  the  thick  deposit  sometimes  found  in  the 
bottom  of  molasses  hogsheads,  and  still  more  like  par- 
ticularly dingy  and  slimy  mud.  It  is  then  shovelled  into 
barrels  with  pierced  heads,  and,  having  now  traversed 
the  entire  length  of  the  ingenio^  is  removed  to  the  casa 
de  inirga.  The  floor  of  this  building  is  composed  of 
narrow  strips  of  plank,  with  openings  between ;  and 
upon  thiu  the  barrels  are  ranged,  with  their  pierced 
heads  downward,  and  left  to  drain.  The  drainage  falls 
into  an  immense  copper  tank  below,  and  constitutes 
molasses.  The  sugar  left  in  the  barrels  is  of  the  quality 
known  as  vnascahado  (frequently  corrupted  into  tmisco- 
vado)y  and  form's  the  larger  part  of  the  imported  sugar; 
the  refining  thereof  being  a  separate  business,  mostly 
done  in  the  United  States. 

However,  in  this  inge?iio,  about  midway  of  the  build- 


THE  INGENIO.  219 

ing,  aiul  connected  ^vitli  the  engine  by  a  band,  is  a 
"  centrifugal  wlieel,"  by  means  of  which  a  better  quality 
of  sugar  is  made.  The  rim  of  the  wheel  is  a  kind  of 
trough  of  perforated  tin,  into  which  a  small  quantity  of 
the  thick,  dark  mass  from  the  vats  is  shoveled^  the 
wheel  is  set  in  rapid  motion,  the  centrifugal  force  throws 
off  the  molasses  through  the  perforations,  and  the  resi- 
duum is  a  dry  and  light-colored  sugar,  the  best  quality 
known  to  Cuban  commerce.  Furthermore,  the  planters 
make  a  small  quantity  of  "clayed  sugar,"  for  home 
consumption  ;  the  unrefined  mass  being  put  into  con- 
ical moulds  of  tin,  with  small  apertures  at  their 
apices,  which  are  then  inverted,  covered  with  a  soft  paste 
of  clay  and  water,  and  left  to  drain.  In  time,  the  mass 
becomes  dry  and  solid ;  and  when  removed  from  the 
mould,  its  base  is  quite  white,  a  little  higher  it  is  of  a 
pale  yellow,  and  the  tint  deepens  gradually  to  the  apex, 
where  it  is  almost  brown. 

But  the  mere  mechanical  process  of  sugar-making  is 
by  far  the  least  interesting  part  of  the  scene  which  meets 
the  eyes  of  a  stranger,  first  ushered  into  an  ingenio. 
There  is  a  look  of  hard,  steady,  energetic  industry  about 
it,  which  he  sees  nowhere  else  in  the  island ;  and  which 
seems  wholly  incongruous  with  the  soft,  languid  reaches 
of  tropical  sky  and  landscape  that  smile  upon  him  through 
the  unenclosed  sides  of  the  building.  Apart  from  this, 
however,  there  is  a  sombre,  phantasmagoric  character 
about  the  spectacle  which  will  j)ersuade  him,  for  the 
moment,  that  he  has  somehow  strayed  into  Pluto's  own 
palace,  wreathed  in  sulphurous  vapor.     There  is  an  un- 


220  3rr  winter  is  cub  a. 

couth  and  demoniac  aj^pearance  about  the  negro  and 
coolie  workmen — naked  above  the  waist,  and  Avith  no  su- 
perfluous garments  beneath  it — as  seen  in  the  red  glare 
of  furnaces,  or  through  misty  clouds  of  steam  from 
the  hissing  caldrons,  that  seems  suited  to  no  otlier  local- 
ity. Add  to  this  the  hoarse,  startling  cries  of  the  cal- 
dron tenders  to  the  stokers,—"  A-b'la  !  a-b'la !  "  "  E-cha 
can-de-la  !  e-cha !  "  "  Puer-ta !  " — the  mournful,  minor 
chant  of  the  workers  at  the  carts  and  rollers,  the  crunch 
of  the  cane,  the  creak  of  chains,  the  whirling  wheels 
and  bands,  and  you  will  not  wonder  at  the  illusion. 

I  was  directed  to  notice  the  engineer's  apartment, 
hanging  like  a  bird-cage  from  the  roof,  and  reached  by 
a  ladder-like  staircase.  The  engineer  was  a  tall,  power- 
ful, sandy-haired,  shrewd-faced  native  of  Xew  Hamp- 
shire, seated  cross-legged  on  the  frame-work  of  his 
engine,  j^oring  over  a  dilapidated  copy  of  a  home  news- 
paper. He  seemed  glad  to  see  a  countrywoman,  and 
did  what  he  could  for  her  entertainment.  Seeing  me 
look  earnestly  at  a  ]30i^clerous  chain  which  was  con- 
nected Avith  the  rollers,  and  had  a  grim  look  of  unrelent- 
ing Fate  about  it,  he  began  to  tell  me  how  an  old  slave- 
woman  Avas  once  draAvn  into  its  cruel  embrace,  "  kicking 
and  yelling,  and  before  I  could  stop  the  engine,  her  legs 
were  torn  clean  off  her  body,  and — "  but  here  I  broke 
in  upon  the  horrible  narratiA^e  Avith  an  energetic  request 
that  it  might  be  left  unfinished.  The  thing  Avhich  sick- 
ened me  most  Avas  the  cool  hardihood,  A^erging  upon  joc- 
ularity, with  which  he  treated  the  affair.  But  then,  it 
was  only  a  "  negra^''  and  too  old  to  be  of  much  value. 


THE  IXGEXIO.  221 

I  asked  some  questions  relative  to  the  comparative 
efficiency  of  slave  and  coolie  labor.  "  Wall !"  said  my 
compatriot,  scratching  his  head  reflectively,  "  the  coolies 
do  know  a  leetle  the  most, — but  they  are  apt  to  be 
cross-grained,  ugly  cli«ps  (to  be  sure,  it's  no  wonder, 
considerin'  how  they're  treated) ;  and  then  they  don't 
mind  up  and  killing  themselves,  when  they  git  mad,  any 
more'n  I  do  paring  my  nails.  I'd  rather  have  ten  niggers 
to  manage,  than  one  Chinaman,  by  a  long  chalk !  " 

"  Do  you  have  much  to  do  with  the  management  of 
the  hands  ?" 

"  Um  ! — no,  not  much, — that's  the  mayoraVs  busi- 
ness. But  I  call  for  what  help  I  want  about  the  engine, 
and  I  don't  allow  any  meddling  with  my  hands.  And 
they  know  I  don't  stand  no  sass  nor  shirking." 

"  But  you  do  not  carry  any  weapons,  nor  whip." 

"  Wall !  I  guess  not.  But  I  generally  carry  my  fists 
about  me,  and  they  do  pooty  well.  I  leave  pistols  and 
such  like  to  the  mayoral.'''' 

Said  mayoral  being  a  short,  dark,  broad-chested 
Spaniard,  with  a  face  like  a  smouldering  furnace,  and  an 
eye  that  had  a  perpetual  threat  in  it.  He  was  girded 
with  a  sword,  and  had  a  brace  of  pistols  in  his  belt. 
Little  mercy  would  any  mutinous  coolie  get  at  his 
hands ! 

During  my  stay  at  Santa  Sofia,  the  sugar-house  exert- 
ed a  curious  fascination  over  me,  and  whenever  other 
sources  of  amusement  failed,  I  was  sure  to  be  drawn 
thither,  and  to  be  found  hanging  over  the  rollers,  watch- 
ing the  cane  slowly  tending  toward  its  hard  fate,  and 


222  3fY   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

listening  to  the  wild  chant  of  the  Africans  there  at 
work ;  or  inhaling  the  faint,  sweet  vapor  from  the  cal- 
drons, or  seated  silently  by  the  centrifugal  Avheel,  har- 
vesting the  abundant  crop  of  analogies  growing  out  of 
all.  It  was  impossible  not  to  notice,  for  example,  how 
the  cane  became  the  agent  of  its  own  destruction, — how 
the  bruised  mass  from  the  rollers  was  made  the  instru- 
ment of  drawing  in  a  continual  succession  of  fresh,  sweet 
cane,  to  be  likewise  crushed,  mangled,  and  cast  out,  fit 
only  for  burning, — a  thing  which  has  its  mournful  coun- 
terparts in  the  social  world.  The  negroes  grew,  after  a 
time,  to  signalize  my  comings  and  goings  with  a  smile, 
and  were  assiduous  in  doing  me  small  services ;  but  I  do 
not  remember  that  I  ever  elicited  the  slightest  mark  of  in- 
terest or  attention  from  a  Chinese.  Tliese  men  appeared 
to  be  in  a  state  of  chronic  sullenness ;  they  ^persistently 
avoided  meeting  my  eye,  and  emulated  the  hardness, 
inflexibility,  and  soullessness  of  the  implements  with 
which  they  labored.  As  they  feel  the  weight  and  shame 
of  bondage  more  than  the  negroes,  it  is  a  comfort  to 
think  that  they  can  look  forward  to  a  day  of  emancipa- 
tion ;  for  the  coolies  are  bound  for  a  term  of  eight  years 
only,  during  which  time  their  servitude  is  severe  enough, 
but  at  the  end  of  which,  they  are  their  own  masters.  It 
is  also  a  comfort  to  know  that  their  propensity  to  sui- 
cide operates  as  some  check  upon  the  worst  forms  of 
cruelty, — one  so  often  has  to  be  glad,  in  this  world,  of 
things  which,  in  happier  circumstances,  were  fitter  sub- 
jects for  tears. 

I  observed  no  absolute  cruelty  in  the  treatment  of 


TUE  INOENIO.  223 

tlic  hands,  but  the  whole  system  of  sugar-making  is  one 
of  liard,  steady,  relentless  driving,  based  upon  a  nice  cal- 
culation of  the  utmost  that  can  be  gotten  out  of  liuman 
flesh  and  bones,  without  immediate  exhaustion,  deteriora- 
tion, and  consequent  loss.  One  cannot  behold  it  without 
a  sorrowful  pity  for  lives  that  must  run  such  a  round  of 
toilsome  motion,  yet  accomplish  no  genuine  progress. 
During  the  grinding  season  of  four  months,  the  engine 
rests  not,  night  nor  day,  nor  Sunday ;  the  procession  of 
sugar-cane  stops  not ;  the  furnaces  are  always  red,  and 
the  caldrons  ever  boiling,  bubbling,  and  emitting  dense 
clouds  of  vapor.  The  women  work  in  the  fields,  and  at 
the  carts  and  rollers,  but  not  at  the  engine,  furnaces,  or 
caldrons. 

At  dusk  the  large  plantation  bell  rings  the  Oracion, 
which  in  times  of  greater  religious  strictness,  was  the 
signal  for  a  prayer  to  be  said,  in  house  or  a-field,  but  is 
now  merely  used  to  call  in  the  field-hands.  The  mayor- 
donio,  whose  office  resembles  that  of  a  purser,  now  makes 
the  daily  distribution  of  provisions, — generally  consist- 
ing of  jerked  beef,  rice,  and  plaintains,  or  bananas, — and 
the  negroes  then  file  into  quarters.  At  another  time  we 
will  visit  them  there. 

"We  return  to  the  j^iazza,  to  watch  the  twilight  dusk 
steal  over  the  fair,  tropical  landscape.  The  little  enclo- 
sure in  front  is  filled  with  rare  and  brilliant  flowers,  and 
the  receda^  or  tree-mignonette,  growing  twenty  or  thirty 
feet  high,  sends  forth  its  richest  odor.  The  sunset-hues 
deepen  in  the  west,  they  swim  and  flash  and  fade  in  ex- 
quisite, tender  tints,  and  a  golden  gloom  begins  the  night. 


224  3ir  WmTER  IN  CUBA. 

And  wondrously  fair  is  the  evening  picture  in  this 
delicious  climate  !  The  large,  tropical  moon  fills  it  with 
charmed  light,  tlie  lustrous  leaves  of  the  palms  soften  it 
with  tremhling  shadows.  The  long,  level  reaches  of  the 
cane  stir  lightly,  but  soundlessly,  under  the  stealing 
steps  of  light-footed  zephyrs ;  the  huge  canopy  of 
the  ceiba  hangs  motionless  in  the  starry  arch  of  the 
sky ;  the  purple,  distant  hills,  and  the  dusky-browed 
forest,  dream  soft  in  the  moon-tranced  air.  Doiia 
Angela  brings  out  some  poems  of  Espronceda's — Spain's 
last  and  sweetest  singer — and  the  soft  modulations  of 
her  tender  voice,  and  the  liquid  ripple  of  the  Spanish 
vowels,  flow  out  harmoniously  over  the  scene,  with 
frequent  lapses  into  silence,  which  are  sweeter  than  any 
sound.  For,  whether  at  noon  or  night,  silence  seems 
most  natural  to  the  tropics.  They  pant  and  flush  with 
feeling,  but  it  is  inarticulate.  The  landscape  is  always  a 
poem,  but  it  is  seen  and  felt  only,  never  heard.  Bright- 
plumaged  bkds  swing  in  the  verdant  gloom  of  the  palm 
boughs,  but  they  have  no  song,  only  a  cry.  Yet  sweeter 
and  sadder  is  it  than  the  song  of  any  nightingale,  heart- 
breaking in  its  sharp  pain  of  helplessness  and  longing ! 

Suddenly,  a  monotonous,  minor-keyed  murmur  of 
African  song  rose  from  the  negro-quarters, — first,  a  high, 
shrill  recitative,  and  then  a  wild  chorus,  sung  in  unison ; 
both  words  and  music  being  clearly  the  product  of  a 
race  just  a  little  higher  than  the  brutes.  If  the  pathetic, 
pleading  look  of  a  dog's  face  could  be  expressed  in 
music,  it  would  sound  just  so.  Yet  the  strain  was  sad 
to  me  only, — the  singers  broke  into  shouts  of  laughter 


THE  INGENIO,  225 

and  clapping  of  hands  !  And  that  touched  me  most  of 
all; — there  is  something  inexpressibly  mournful  about 
the  mirth  of  an  enslaved  and  degraded  race.  Its  very 
boisterousness  and  utter  abandonment  show  how  great 
is  the  reaction  from  the  heavy  pressure  of  forced  toil 
and  weary  pain. 

With  the  evening,  the  cocullus  gleamed  out  over  the 
cane-fields,  like  a  new  creation  of  terrestrial  stars.  Yet, 
beautiful  as  they  were  in  the  distance,  and  despite  the 
reassuring  memory  of  my  two  caged  j^ets  in  Matanzas,  I 
could  scarcely  repress  a  thrill  of  terror  when  I  first  be- 
held the  great,  fiery  eyes  and  flaming  breastplate  coming 
toward  me,  straight  and  swift,  through  the  darkness,  and 
only  tm-ning  aside  within  two  or  three  inches  of  my  face. 
It  was  hard  to  believe  that  so  much  blaze  would  not  burn, 
or  that  it  could  emanate  from  a  creature  of  less  size  than 
a  bat.  The  cocullus  are  easily  caught  by  j^lacing  a  live 
coal  or  two  in  the  grass, -and  throwing  a  handkerchief 
over  them  as  they  approach  what  they  mistake  for  a 
friendly  signal.  The  little  Cito  brought  me  one  thus 
ensnared ;  and  told  me  gravely  that  it  was  "  u7io  de  los 
serenos  de  los  insectos'''*  (one  of  the  watchmen  of  the 
insects).  Those  who  recall  the  description  of  the  lan- 
tern-bearing serenos  of  Havana,  in  a  former  chapter, 
will  recognize  the  appropriateness  of  the  name. 

At  bedtime,  I  was  shoAvn  to  an  apartment  more 
spacious  than  it  was  ever  my  fortune  to  occupy,  except 
once,  when,  in  a  crowded  Southern  hotel,  the  ball-room 
was  assigned  me  as  a  dormitory!  Yet  I  think  that 
might  have  been  put  inside  of  this,  and  still  have  left 
10* 


226  3fr   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

sufficient  margin  for  a  chain  of  contra-dances.  The  few 
pieces  of  furniture  were  quite  lost  in  its  vastness,  and 
a  single  candle  made  but  feeble  encroachments  upon  its 
heavy  masses  of  shadow.  In  one  corner  was  a  bed,  in 
nicest  order  and  daintiest  array,  but  of  the  most  immiti- 
gable Cuban  variety — a  wonderful  invention  for  keeping 
foreigners  awake.  Through  the  broad,  iron-grated  win- 
dow opposite,  I  could  look  straight  into  the  sugar- 
house,  wdth  its  vapor-charged  atmosphere,  its  lurid 
glow,  its  seething  caldrons,  its  half-naked  wretches  of 
attendants,  its  wild  screeching  and  monotonous  chant ; 
and  the  Inferno  of  Dante,  the  Hell  of  Milton,  and  the 
Witches'  Cave  of  Macbeth,  met  and  mmgled  wildly  in 
my  dreams.  Not  till  near  dawn  did  I  escape  from  these 
into  Sluniber's  undisputed  land. 


CHAPTER  XXm. 

PLANTATION    PICTURES. 

A  SUGAR,  plantation  is  a  little  village  within  itself, 
containing  church,  dwellings,  hospital,  workshops, 
storehouses,  water- works,  and  whatever  is  necessary  to 
its  daily  economy.  That  of  Santa  Sofia  numbers  about 
four  hundred  souls,  of  whom  not  more  than  a  dozen  or 
fifteen  are  contained  in  white  skins;  a  disproportion 
which  seems  to  justify,  in  a  measure,  the  firearms,  whips, 
chains,  locks,  gratings,  etc.,  which  are  so  prominent  a 
part  of  its  system.  How  justly  these  fifteen  have  ac- 
quired the  right  to  dominate  over  the  three  hundred  and 
seventy-five,  is  a  question  for  moralists ;  but  while  they 
exercise  it,  it  behooves  them  to  take  measures  for  their 
personal  safety.  The  negroes  are  said  to  be,  in  gross, 
coarse  and  brutal,  the  Chinese  sly  and  cruel ;  if  it  were 
not  for  those  same  locks,  pistols,  and  other  safeguards, 
I  can  well  understand  that  my  first  night  at  Santa  Sofia 
might  have  J)een  memorable  for  worse  horrors  than  the 
lurid  phantasmagoria  of  my  dreams. 

Day  broke  over  the  plantation  as  freshly  fair  as  if 
whips  and  slave  gangs  and  wearisome  toil  were  also  but 
visions  of  the  night; — and  other  days  followed,  full  of 
mellow  sunshine  and  a  subtle  sweetness  of  luminous  air. 


228  MT  WINTER   IJV  CUBA. 

wherein  to  bask  and  breathe  was  quite  enough  for  happi- 
ness. A  half-dozen  of  such  days,  in  our  climate,  are  counted 
suflScient  atonement  for  the  atmospheric  delinquencies  of 
a  whole  season ;  here,  they  were  the  rule — slowly  ripen- 
ing from  golden  morn  to  fervid  noon,  and  thencefor- 
ward growing  ever  sweeter  and  sweeter,  until  they 
departed  through  a  gorgeous  sunset  arch,  crowned  with 
gladness,  and  leaving  on  the  mind  a  beatific  impression 
of  rare  concords  of  lustrous  color,  and  calm  floods  of 
iridescent  light,  but  no  distinct  record  of  individuality. 
Possibly  their  very  eventlessness  was  their  subtlest 
charm ;  in  such  an  air,  at  such  a  tem^oerature,  the  mind 
craved  neither  the  excitement  of  stirring  events,  nor  the 
labor  of  thought — only  the  calm  enjoyment  of  observa- 
tion, and  the  soft  play  of  fancy.  Sufficient  unto  each 
day  was  the  evil  of  that  dark  shadow  of  bondage  and 
forced  labor,  brooding  over  the  cane-fields  and  under 
the  vast  roof  of  the  sugar-house ;  sufficient  for  its  joy  to 
watch  the  slow-moving  panorama  of  radiant  dawns,  and 
j^rismatic  sunsets,  and  moon-silvered  eves,  seen  across  a 
billowy  luxuriance  of  rustling  cane,  and  through  green 
arches  of  great  boughs  of  cciba,  palm,  and  tamarind. 

On  this  pleasant  background,  the  quiet  incidents  of 
the  dreamy,  leisurely  plantation-life  Avcre  softly  pen- 
cilled ; — among  them  a  few  scenes  stand  out  sharply  in 
my  memory,  as  more  brilliantly  or  sombrely  tinted  than 
the  rest,  of  which  I  give  faint  sketches. 

First,  the  harracon^  or  negro-quarter.  A  quadrangu- 
lar structure,  whose  exterior  presents  to  view  only  a  high 
wall,  without  other  opening  than  a  massive  and,  sombre 


LANTA  TION  PICTURES.  229 

archway,  closed  by  an  iron  gate.  The  mayoral  turns 
key,  draws  bolt,  and  ushers  us  into  a  large  court,  cov- 
ered with  a  scanty  growth  of  coarse,  wiry  grass.  In  the 
middle  is  a  stone  fire-place  and  huge  boiler,  wherein 
certain  kinds  of  cookery  are  done,  in  the  lump,  for  the 
entire  tenantry.  Around  us  is  a  hollow  square  of  two- 
story  dwellings,  in  as  close  contiguity  as  the  cells  of  a 
honeycomb ;  the  second  floor  being  reached  by  means 
of  exterior  galleries  and  staircases,  and  each  room  serv- 
ing for  home  to  a  limited  family.  The  place  is  wholly 
deserted  and  silent ;  the  adult  occupants  are  at  work, 
and  the  children  are  cared  for  elsewhere,  during  their 
absence.  We  look  into  some  of  the  rooms,  and  wonder 
if  life  is  worth  living  at  such  a  scanty  measure  of  com- 
fort or  attainment.  There  is  a  bed  of  rude  plank  with 
a  blanket  on  it,  a  stool  or  two,  a  few  pots  and  pans,  two 
or  three  coarse  garments  hanging  on  the  wall,  occasion- 
ally a  little  crucifix  or  an  image  of  the  Virgin, — and  that 
is  all !  Xo  pleasantness  within,  no  verdure  without,  no 
breadth  of  scope,  no  wholesome  retirement — merely  a 
place  for  eating  and  sleeping,  where  the  slaves  and 
coolies  are  driven  nightly,  like  sheep  to  a  pen,  and  locked 
in,  until  the  morning's  call  to  labor.  Over  the  gateway 
is  the  apartment  of  the  mayoral^  with  the  door  in  the 
side  of  the  arch,  anterior  to  the  gate,  and  a  window 
opening  on  the  court.  It  has  a  grim  provision  of  fire- 
arms, and  is  evidently  a  small  fortress,  commanding  the 
whole  interior,  from  which  it  would  be  easy  to  shoot 
down  the  leaders  in  any  disturbance,  and  reduce  insur- 
gents to  terms. 


230  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA, 

Secondly,  the  hospital.  Its  exterior  and  ap2:)roach  are 
similar  to  those  of  the  lyarracon.  Entering  the  court, 
we  find  forty  or  fifty  naked  negro  children  at  j^lay,  who 
undergo  a  sudden  transformation  into  so  many  staring 
ebony  statues,  at  sight  of  strange  visitors ;  and  are  imme- 
diately ordered  ofi'by  Doiia  Angela,  with  injunctions  not 
to  reappear  until  they  have  found  somewhat  wherewith 
to  cover  their  nakedness.  The  gentlemen  enter  a  good- 
natured  plea  for  the  "  negritos''''  (Anglice  ;  little  niggers), 
so  summarily  dismissed  to  retirement  or  the  unwonted 
thraldom  of  garments ;  but  the  mistress,  scandalized  by 
their  appearance — vicariously,  I  imagine — maintains  that 
it  is  "  U7ia  cosa  indecenta,'^''  and  carries  her  point.  One  side 
of  the  court  is  occupied  by  the  nursery,  where  all  the 
babes  of  the  plantation  are  gathered,  in  charge  of  girls 
eight  years  old  and  upwards,  overseen  by  two  or  three 
superannuated  negro  women,  too  old  to  be  of  use  else- 
where. Some  are  wrapped  in  old  shawls,  or  a  bit  of 
ragged  blanket,  others  are  muffled  in  all  sorts  of  non- 
descript garments,  and  one  small  morsel  of  femininity 
lies  curled  up  on  the  floor,  quite  nude,  but  with  a  dingy 
muslin  cap  on  her  tiny,  woolly  head,  which  gives  her  an 
indescribably  elfin  and  wizened  aspect.  They  are  all  pre- 
ternaturally  quiet  and  docile,  as  I  have  found  slave  babies 
to  be  everywhere.  Is  it  that  they  come  thus  early  to  a 
perception  of  their  lot  in  life,  or  because  they  are  not 
indulged  and  pampered  into  ill-humor  and  exaction  ?" 

In  an  adjacent  room,  we  found  the  small  people  just 
banished  from  the  court,  all  tangled  and  snarled  together 
in  a  rapid  process  of  toilet-making,  and  a  chaotic  con- 


PLANTATION  PICTURES.  231 

fusion  of  ill-assorted  and  impromptu  raiment.  A  few, 
who  were  already  dressed,  came  forward,  and  knelt 
down  around  me,  with  crossed  hands  and  bended  heads, 
waiting  for  something — what?  "  Una  hencdicion^  se- 
nora^^''  said  the  kindly-eyed  woman  who  was  superintend- 
ing their  operations,  seeing  my  perplexity.  Somewhat 
taken  aback  by  so  unusual  a  request,  I  yet  managed  to 
give  them  the  desired  "  blessing,"  according  to  the  sweet 
Spanish  formula,  "  JDios  os  haga  hueno  !  "  and  went  on 
my*  way  wondering.  I  learned,  later,  that  it  is  an 
African  superstition  that  the  benediction  of  a  stranger, 
from  over  the  ocean,  has  a  Divine  efficacy  to  brighten 
the  future  of  the  recipient, — a  relic,  doubtless,  of  those 
remote  times  when  all  such  visitors  were  welcomed  as 
messengers  from  the  gods.  But  it  needs  more  of  that 
faith  which  is  potent  to  remove  mountains  than  I  possess, 
to  believe  that  any  one's  blessing  can  work  much  tem- 
poral good  to  these  outcasts  of  civilization,  whose  place 
in  the  world  is  so  vexing  a  problem.  To  be  sure  the 
civil  law  of  Cuba  is  kinder  to  the  slave  than  ever  our 
own  was.  It  gives  him  his  time  on  Sundays,  to  enable 
him  to  work  out  his  freedom,  if  he  is  so  minded.  It 
obliges  the  master  to  sell  any  dissatisfied  slave,  who  can 
find  another  person  willing  to  buy  him ;  his  value  being 
fixed  by  a  government  official  at  the  current  market 
price,  rarely  taking  into  account  extraordinary  capacity 
or  qualifications,  so  that  a  really  good  slave  finds  little 
difiiculty  in  changing  owners.  It  does  not  prohibit  liim 
the  use  of  whatever  educational  advantages  he  can  com- 
mand ;  though  it  may  readily  be  inferred  that  these  are 


232  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

not  many,  among  a  people  not  over  solicitous  of  such 
privileges  for  themselves.  But  how  is  a  plantation  negro, 
working  %11  day  long  under  the  eye  and  whip  of  a  driver, 
and  locked  into  quarters  at  night,  to  bring  these  laws  to 
bear  on  his  own  case,  however  much  it  may  need  them  ? 
In  the  cities  and  towns,  no  doubt,  they  do  something  to 
.  lighten  the  yoke. 

The  remainder  of  the  building  is  the  hospital  proper, 
divided  into  a  dispensary,  male  and  female  wards,  and 
a  lying-in  room.  The  apartments  were  all  large  and 
lofty,  even  grand  in  their  proportions,  like  almost  every- 
thing else  on  the  estate.  They  were  scrupulously  clean 
also,  but  their  extreme  barrenness,  the  absence  of  all 
adornment,  or  of  aught  to  stimulate  thought  or  gratify 
taste,  made  them  undelightful  enough.  There  was  no 
furniture  whatever,  except  a  row  of  beds  on  either  side ; 
and  these  were  merely  oblong  forms  of  thick,  heavy 
plank,  about  the  size  and  height  of  an  ordinary  cot.  On 
these  lay  the  patients,  in  their  usual  working  garments, 
with  a  blanket  over  them  if  they  liked.  At  first,  it  gave 
me  a  shock  to  notice  the  comfortlessness  of  the  whole ; 
it  seemed  actual  cruelty  to  put  sick  j)eople  on  such  beds — 
tables,  rather,  where,  I  thought,  the  poor,  worn-out  body 
might  have  been  dissected  as  soon  as  the  breath  was  out 
of  it,  without  any  very  harsh  violation  of  the  decencies 
of  the  place.  But  I  was  self-convicted  of  unreasonable- 
ness, after  a  little,  since  the  idolized  darling  of  the 
wealthiest  Cuban  house  is  scarcely  more  luxuriously 
lodged, — the  degree  of  comfort  between  the  side  of  a 
plank  and  a  piece  of  canvas  stretched  tightly  over  an 


PL  A  NTA  TION  PICTURES.  233 

iron  frame  being  much  too  nice  to  be  appreciable  to  any- 
one not  born  to  it. 

But  the  blank,  stolid,  utterly  unilluminated  faces  on 
those  beds  were  pitiful  to  behold  !  Perhaps  the  African 
face,  by  reason  of  its  coarse,  heavy  traits,  and  sombre 
coloring,  is  always  more  j^rofoundly  and  haggardly  mel- 
ancholy, in  sickness,  than  any  other;  and  here,  that 
expression  seemed  intensified  by  the  meagreness  and 
unloveliness  of  the  surroundings.  The  j^atients  scarcely 
noticed  me,  as  I  paused  to  look  at  them ;  though  one  or 
two  made  a  faint  attempt  at  a  smile,  in  resi:)onse  to  some 
kind  words  from  the  mistress  of  the  estate.  One  was 
already  beyond  the  reach  of  all  sublunary  interests;  the 
stupor  of  death  was  settling  on  her  face,  the  fixed,  glazed 
eye  might  even  now  catch  some  bewildering  glimpses  of 
the  "  glory  that  shall  be  revealed,"  even  to  this  hapless, 
benighted  soul.  I  noted  the  fact  with  something  very  like 
gladness ;  the  door  of  death  seemed  the  only  effectual 
escape  from  a  life  of  such  hard  and  hopeless  limitations. 
What  possible  happiness  or  improvement  was  there  in 
store  for  any  of  these  forlorn  wretches,  even  if  they 
should  manage  to  struggle  through  this  present  misery 
of  sickness?  which,  to  do  them  justice,  not  one  of  them 
seemed  trying  for.  They  had  not  found  life  so  good  or 
glad  as  to  be  unwilling  to  give  it  up;  they  just  lay 
quietly  on  their  hard  couches,  passive  and  uncomplain- 
ing, and  let  God  and  their  master  do  with  them  as  they 
would.  There  was  neither  light,  nor  hope,  nor  desire, 
in  their  hard-lined  faces,  nothing  but  a  flaccid  and  de- 
jected helplessness,  in  lieu  of  resignation;   as  if -they 


234  3ir  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

were  conscious  that  tliey  were  born  into  the  world  for 
this  and  nothing  else,  and  blindly  accepted  their  hard 
lot,  without  being  able  to  understand  it.  Even  in  the 
little  children,  this  characteristic  seemed  as  perfectly 
developed  as  in  their  elders,  oppressing  one  with  a  sense 
of  something  dolefully  amiss  and  out-of-joint  in  all  the 
conditions  of  humanity. 

Here  and  there,  in  strong  contrast  with  these  de- 
pressed and  nerveless  Africans,  a  Chinese  glowered  like 
a  spark  of  fire  amid  gray  ashes;  his  usual  expression  of 
sullen  insubordination  being  sharpened  by  the  pressure 
of  physical  suffering.  One  of  these  sat  on  the  edge  of 
his  hed^  with  a  swollen  and  bandaged  limb  drawn  up 
beside  him — ^the  very  incarnation  of  impotent  hate  and 
rage.  The  mayoral  laid  a  firm,  detaining  grasp  on  his 
shoulder,  under  Avhich  I  could  see  the  man  wince  and 
shiver,  while  the  official  told  me  how  he  had  run  away 
weeks  ago,  and  hidden  in  the  woods,  leading  a  sort  of 
highwayman's  life,  and  baffling  all  pursuit,  until  he  cut 
his  foot  badly  on  a  sharp  stone,  in  jumping  a  stream ; 
which  wound  festered  and  gangrened,  and  so  disabled 
him  that  he  could  no  longer  procure  food,  nor  drag  his 
wasted  body  from  one  hiding-place  to  another ;  when  he 
was  found — half-dead,  but  still  untamed  in  spirit — and 
brought  back  to  prison.  Since  which  time,  he  had  twice 
attempted  suicide.  The  Chinese  meanwhile  regarded 
us  with  a  look  that  would  have  stabbed  us  both  to  the 
heart,  if  looks  were  available  for  such  a  purpose.  Plainly, 
he  felt  himself  at  war  with  the  whole  tyrannous  universe ; 
and  especially  resented  the  indignity  of  being  exhibited 
and  commented  upon  as  if  he  had  been  a  wild  beast. 


PLANTATION  PICTURES.  235 

From  a  region  so  suggestive  of  miserable  doubt  and 
questioning  of  Providence  as  this,  it  was  good  to  turn 
aside  into  the  lying-in  room,  and  see  how  the  goodness 
of  God  was  vindicated,  even  here,  to  our  low,  human 
apprehension.  Something  of  that  same  pride  and  joy 
of  motherhood,  which  makes  such  a  light  in  happier 
l^laces,  was  here  visible  also,  helping  these  poor  women 
through  their  sufferings,  and  shining  in  the  faces  of 
those  whose  babes  were  held  up  to  view,  and  patted,  and 
praised — babyhood  being  a  wonderful  and  beautiful 
thing  everywhere !  Nor  did  this  joy  apf)ear  to  be 
clouded  by  any  misgivings  about  the  future  of  these 
small  slips  of  humanity,  set  to  grow  in  so  unkindly  a 
soil.  In  the  sick  wards  I  had  found  myself  uncomfort- 
ably face  to  face  with  the  great  problem  of  life — the 
presence  of  sin  and  misery  in  the  creation  of  an  all-wise 
and  beneficent  God, — here,  I  seemed  to  have  gone  a  long 
way  toward  its  solution.  Out  of  the  deepest  pain  is 
born  the  extremest  pleasure ;  and  the  suffering  and  sor- 
row of  this  present  time  are  often  but  the  birth-throes 
of  a  joy  "unspeakable  and  full  of  glory,"  that  shall 
be  brought  forth  hereafter  unto  all  who  love  God. 

The  little  chapel  next  claims  our  attention,  a  plain, 
brown-stuccoed  edifice,  where  occasional  services  are 
held  by  the  priests  of  the  neighboring  village,  and 
whose  square  tower  is  rather  a  pretty  object,  rising 
above  the  red  roofs  of  the  adjacent  buildings.  Its 
interior  is  still  gay  with  the  decorations  for  a 
recent  festival;  artificial  flowers  are  wreathed  and 
grouped    everywhere,   both    flowers   and    arrangement 


236  MT  WINTER  IN  CUBA, 

being  clue  to  the  pretty  and  skilful  fingers  of  the  senori- 
tas  Engracia,  Josifa,  and  Conchita.  In  the  little  sacristy- 
arc  the  priestly  vestments,  elaborately  embroidered  by 
the  same  asrile  fincfcrs.  Doiia  Carlota  unfolds  and 
exhibits  them, — the  green  for  common  use,  the  red  for 
the  "  Corpus  Christi,"  the  white  for  Christmas,  Easter, 
weddings,  and  christenings.  Last  of  all,  the  black  for 
funerals. 

"  I  thank  God,"  says  the  senora,  solemnly,  and  with 
a  slight  tremor  in  her  voice,  "  there  has  never  yet  been 
any  need  of  these ;  but  we  have  them  ready,  you  see, 
and  none  can  tell  how  soon  they  may  be  wanted." 

She  is  thinking,  doubtless,  that,  in  virtue  of  ill-health 
and  advanced  age,  she  has  a  right  to  expect  to  need 
them  first,  but  I  read  diiferently  the  oracles  of  the 
future.  The  youngest  child  of  the  house  has  one  of 
those  sweet,  rapt,  far-seeing  faces,  never  long  vouchsafed 
to  any  home,  save  as  a  tender  and  beatific  memory, 
linking  the  trials  of  earth  with  the  promises  of  heaven. 
A  steep  staircase  leads  to  the  little,  square  tower-top. 
The  view  from  thence  is  extensive  but  monotonous, — 
almost  any  New  England  landscape  would  present  a 
more  striking  and  varied  outline ;  yet  there  is  a  tropical 
character  about  it  that  makes  it  richly  worth  observing. 
Over  all  the  outer  circle — beyond  an  immediate  prox- 
imity of  rippling  reaches  of  cane,  and  soft  shades  of 
palm,  mimosa,  and  bamboo — are  bright,  bold  billows  of 
foliage,  tossed  aloft  from  remote  forests;  and  on  one 
side  the  blue,  flowing  outline  of  distant  hills.  In  truth, 
if  there  were  nothing  else  to  look  at,  palms  and  bam- 


PLANTA  TIOK  PICTURES.  237 

boos  alone  might  well  satisfy   one's  thirst   for  natural 
beauty. 

Directly  behind  the  house  is  a  large  enclosure  devoted 
to  vegetables  and  fruits.  Tliither,  at  sunset-time,  I 
prevail  upon  Engracia  to  accompany  me.  She  hesitates 
at  first,  to  be  sure,  and  tells  me  that  she  never  goes 
there,  the  servants  will  bring  me  whatever  I  want ;  but 
upon  being  assured  that  I  desire  neither  fruits  nor  vege- 
tables, but  only  to  observe  their  peculiarities  of  culture 
and  growth,  many  of  them  being  known  to  me  hitherto 
merely  as  things  of  bales  and  bags  and  boxes,  and  gro- 
cers' counters,  she  consents, — albeit,  not  without  a  cer- 
tain reluctance,  which  I  set  down  to  Cuban  indolence, 
and  pitilessly  ignore. 

!N"earest  the  house  are  the  vegetable  beds,  kept 
orderly  enough,  but  ^^th  too  strong  a  likeness  to  kitchen 
gardens  everywhere,  to  be  deeply  interesting.  The  only 
unfamiliar  forms  are  the  name^  a  species  of  yam,  grow- 
ing to  an  enormous  size ;  and  the  making  a  and  cazahe^ 
both  farinaceous  roots,  from  the  latter  of  which  tapioca 
is  made.  Next,  come  stiff  battalions  of  pine-apj^les,  in 
various  stages  of  maturity ;  and  after  them,  a  large 
melon-patch  covered  with  a  thick  tangle  of  luxuriant 
vines,  among  the  leaves  of  Avhich  great  green  and  russet 
rounds  are  industriously  secreting  sweets  from  the 
tropical  sunbeams.  To  these  succeeds  a  small  forest  of 
banana-trees,  with  their  long,  fragile  leaves  gently  sway- 
ing in  the  evening  breeze,  their  purple  buds  nestling  close 
to  the  parent  stalk,  and  their  heavy  clusters  of  green 
and  ripe  fruit,  here  called  memos  (hands),  of  which  each 


238  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA, 

banana  is  a  "  finger."  We  next  plunge  into  a  grove  of 
orange  trees,  alike  fragrant  with  dark  green  foliage, 
bridal  blossoms,  and  golden  fruit ;  and  we  finally  lose 
ourselves  in  a  kind  of  orchard  wilderness,  for  which  Art 
has  done  what  she  could,  and  then  handed  it  over  to 
Nature,  for  a  finishing  touch  of  wildness  and  grace. 
Here,  the  chestnut-like  mango^  with  its  pear-shaped  fruit 
and  dense  foliage,  stands  side  by  side  with  the  dark- 
leaved  and  gray-fruited  'mamey  /  the  elm-like  aguacate, 
and  the  drooping  tamarind  lean  and  whisper  together ; 
the  sapota  mingles  its  fruit  of  brown  with  the  green 
and  yellow  balls  of  the  calabazo  /  the  bright  scarlet  of 
the  pomegranate's  blossoms  touches  the  delicate  jDink  of 
those  of  the  almond ;  and  the  bindweed  and  the  love- 
vine  marry  them  all  together,  and  wreathe  their  topmost 
boughs  with  graceful  coronals  of  leaves  and  filaments. 
Here  and  there,  a  tall  palm  has  joined  itself  to  the 
pleasant  company,  a  magnolia  has  also  found  room  for 
its  smooth  trunk  and  shining  leaves,  and  a  group  of 
young  acacias  have  stolen  into  an  unguarded  corner. 
The  whole  scene  glows  with  brilliant  coloring; — the 
sky  is  roseate ;  the  leaves  above  and  around  are  red- 
dened by  the  sunset  beams ;  the  crimson  and  scarlet, 
the  orange  and  gold,  of  the  fruits  and  blossoms  are  like 
flame ;  even  the  earth  is  red,  where  it  shows  through 
the  undergrowth.  The  autumnal  glories  of  New  Eng- 
land are  not  brighter.  And  there,  perchance,  we  touch 
upon  the  the  secret  of  the  sadness  always  latent  in  the 
tropical  landscape.  Perfection  of  any  kind,  in  this  world, 
is  near  its  opposite ;  and  amid  the  abounding  life  of  the 


PLANTATION  PICTURES.  230 

tropics  there  is  continual  decay.  Perpetual  summer  im- 
plies perpetual  autumn :  some  plants  must  needs  be  ever 
dying,  some  trees  shedding  their  foliage.  In  many  cases, 
the  new  growth  pushes  off  the  old,  and  under  the  boughs 
that  are  at  once  thick-clad  with  verdure,  white  with  blos- 
soms, and  golden  with  fruit,  one  hears  beneath  his  tread 
the  rustle  of  fallen  leaves. 

The  boundary  wall  of  the  enclosure  is  covered  with 
mosses  and  creeping  things.  A  wild  convolvulus  and 
passion-vine  have  so  tangled  themselves  together  that 
no  mortal  hand  can  separate  them  ;  and  a  night-bloom- 
ing cereus  has  climbed  to  the  topmost  stone,  to  look  out 
over  the  adjacent  fields  at  the  sunset,  or  at  the  negroes 
and  coolies  cutting  cane  by  the  latest  beams.  The 
nearest  of  these — a  gigantic  African — no  sooner  spies  us 
than  he  breaks  out  into  a  strain  of  fulsome  compliment, 
— "  Dios  mio !  what  beauty  !  Santa  Maria !  what 
grace !  Ay  !  what  pretty  little  feet !  Ay  !  what  beau- 
tiful little  hands!"  and  so  on,  ad  nauseam^  and  not 
without  a  vicious  leer.  If  I  open  my  eyes  only  a  trifle 
wider  at  the  creature's  impudence,  it  is  because  I  have 
learned  that  the  most  courteous  Don  of  the  district 
would  probably  do  the  very  same  thing  in  similar  circum- 
stances ;  and  I  really  do  not  see  that  it  is  worse  in  the 
slave  than  in  the  master.  But  I  am  amazed,  when  I  dis- 
cover that  this  flowery  discourse  has  sent  Engracia  fly- 
ing toward  the  house  like  a  startled  deer.  Ilcr  white 
dress  is  already  disappearing  among  the  trunks  of 
the  trees;  and  notliing  remains  but  for  me  to  follow 
more  slowly,  reflecting  upon  the  anomalies  of  a  system 


240  J/r    WINTER   IN  CUBA» 

under  which  the  daughter  of  the  house  flees  in  terror 
from  the  sight  of  one  of  its  dependents.  Halfway  to 
the  mansion,  I  meet  a  servant  sent  after  me  in  hot 
haste ;  and  on  the  piazza  I  find  Engracia  trembling 
with  fear,  and  recounting  our  adventure  to  her  excited 
sisters.  It  is  my  first  and  last  independent  ramble  in 
Cuba. 

An  invitation  to  dine  at  the  neighboring  plantation 
of  San  Benito,  adds  some  queer,  crowded  pictures  of 
the  Flemish  school  to  our  gallery.  First,  there  is  the 
transit  thither, — a  complete  melee  of  volantes^  saddle- 
horses,  mules,  negroes,  and  dogs,  fifteen  or  twenty  in 
all,  tearing  across  the  cane-fields,  or  through  the  grand 
palm-avenues,  in  the  amber  glory  of  the  late  afternoon, 
at  a  rate  and  with  an  amount  of  noise  that  would  have 
befitted  well  a  fox-chase.  The  volantes  have  each  three 
horses, — a  j)i'odigality  of  motive  j^ower  only  to  be  seen 
in  the  rural  districts,  and  aj)parently  subserving  no  end 
but  that  of  picturesqueness,  since  the  extra  horse  occu- 
j^ies  himself  mainly  in  tumbling  into  ditches,  entangling 
himself  in  wayside  shrubbery,  and  jerking  and  jostling 
the  shaft-horse ;  which  latter  endures  the  infliction  with 
the  stoicism  appropriate  to  the  inevitable.  The  ladies 
wear  no  shawls  nor  bonnets,  only  fluttering  scarfs  and 
ribbons,  that  vie  with  the  tropical  landscape  in  color. 
The  road  is  everywhere  beautiful,  and  often  picturesque  ; 
on  either  side  are  the  billowy  canefields,  while  the  palms, 
of  which  one  never  tires,  meet  above  our  heads,  and 
stretch  away  before  us  in  long,  temple-like  vistas.  Cross- 
ing a  bridge,  we  are  wrapped,  for  a  moment,  in  a  thicket 


PLANTATION  PICTURES.  241 

of  willow-like  bamboos.  Reaching  the  top  of  a  slight 
eminence,  we  discover  afar  the  rolling  outline  of  purple 
hills.  Passing  along  the  edge  of  a  forest,  we  are 
charmed  with  the  exuberance  and  diversity  of  its  flow- 
ery undergrowth, — the  pink,  white,  and  j)^^i'ple  convol- 
vuli,  the  flaming  fever-flower,  the  sunny-eyed  and  sweet- 
breathed  jessamine,  the  many  varieties  of  the  wild 
passion-vine,  the  white-chaliced  mangrove,  the  richly 
perfumed  heliotrope,  and  divers  others,  which  I  do  not 
recognize  individually,  but  all  of  which  help  to  fill  me 
with  a  vague  sense  of  inexhaustible  beauty  and  abound- 
ing fragrance.  And  never  was  there  sunshine  so  rich, 
so  soft,  and  so  dream-like,  as  that  through  which  gallops 
our  straggling  party,  waking  the  drowsy  echoes  with 
noisy  clatter  of  volcmtes  and  hoofs,  shrill  chorus  of  talk 
and  laughter,  chattering  of  negroes  and  barking  of  dogs. 
The  dining-room  of  San  Benito  is  entirely  open,  on 
one  side,  to  the  court,  at  the  farther  end  of  which 
are  grouped,  not  unpicturesquely,  our  own  servants 
and  horses.  The  guests  at  table  number  twenty-two, 
— not  including  the  dogs  underneath  the  board,  nor 
the  parrots,  pigeons,  and  chickens,  that  hover  above 
and  around,  to  pick  up  the  crumbs.  Neither  do  I  take 
into  the  account  a  small  army  of  cadaverous,  squealing 
pigs,  nor  a  scorpion  that  suddenly  appears  on  a  rough 
rafter,  over  Conchita's  head,  and  is  despatched  with 
some  difficulty  by  the  joint  forces  of  three  of  the  gen- 
tlemen, two  of  the  servants,  a  cane,  a  riding-whip,  an 
imibrella,  and  two  brooms,  in  the  midst  of  general  con- 
fusion and  dismay.  However,  this  little  digression 
11 


242  J/r  WINTER  m  CUBA. 

only  serves  to  stimulate  conversation ;  everybody  talks, 
laughs,  expletizes,  and  gesticulates,  at  the  same  moment, 
only  screaming  louder  as  the  chorus  swells  higher, — the 
l^igeons  and  cliickens  taking  their  full  shares  in  the  talk, 
and  the  parrots  adding  their  shrill  laughter  to  the  merri- 
ment. Notwithstanding  these  oddities,  the  dinner  is 
served  with  a  sufficient  amount  of  Cuban  state  and  cere- 
mony. There  is  a  deal  of  cut-glass  and  silver  plate; 
the  courses  are  many,  the  viands  excellent,  the  attend- 
ance adequate.  I  sit  at  the  right  of  our  host ;  and  never 
was  the  English  language  so  broken  into  inch  pieces,  so 
deftly  cemented  together  again  with  j^antomimic  gesture, 
and  so  artfully  twisted  into  elaborate  compliment,  as  by 
that  dark,  smiling,  low-voiced,  and  gray-haired  Don 
Diego,  A  dinner  whereat  he  presides  must  needs  have  a 
stronger  flavor  of  the  court  than  of  the  country,  des- 
pite pigs,  parrots,  chickens,  and  scorpions. 

The  feast  being  ended,  there  is  an  almost  unanimous 
withdrawal  to  the  broad,  airy  j^iazza.  The  two  elder 
gentlemen,  only,  remain  behind  with  their  cigars ;  the 
younger  ones  composedly  light  theirs  outside.  The 
practice  of  smoking  is  so  universal  in  Cuba,  it  is  consid- 
ered so  much  a  matter  of  course,  that  ladies  are  seldom 
asked  if  it  is  disagreeable  to  them, — never,  except  as 
the  merest  formality,  the  reply  being  taken  for  granted. 
I  am  not  a  little  surprised,  therefore,  when  Don  Diego 
joins  our  party,  to  see  his  son  Casimiro  remove  his 
cigar  from  his  mouth,  and,  holding  it  on  the  side  remote 
from  the  elder  gentleman,  quietly  slip  away  to  the  far- 
ther end  of  the  piazza  to  finish  it.     I  am  so  struck  by 


PLANTATIOy  PICTURES.  243 

the  oddity  of  the  circumstance,  that  I  venture  to  ask 
Engracia,  in  an  aside,  what  it  means.  She  replies  that 
it  is  an  act  of  disrespect  for  a  son  to  smoke  in  the  pres- 
ence of  his  parents. 

"  TV'hy  ?  "  I  ask,  with  pardonable  obtuseness,  seeing 
that  the  parents  all  smoke,  to  a  man  (and  sometimes  to  a 
woman),  and  cannot  well  help  knowing  that  their  sons 
unhesitatingly  follow  their  example 

"  Es  iin  viciOy  V.  sabe/^"*  (It  is  a  vice,  you  know),  she 
answers,  with  a  little  grimace,  and  a  most  expressive 
shrug  of  the  shoulders. 

The  evening  lets  us  into  the  mysteries  of  Cuban 
courtship, — if  there  can  be  said  to  be  any  mystery  about 
a  thing  which  must  needs  be  carried  on  so  openly.  In 
one  corner  of  the  sala,  the  eldest  son  of  the  house  is 
pouring  soft  whispers  into  the  willing  ear  of  liis  cousin 
Caterina,  who  is  formally  betrothed  to  hun ;  at  one  end 
of  the  double  row  of  chairs,  the  second  son  is  doing  the 
very  same  thing  to  the  beautiful  Conchita,  of  Santa 
Sofia ;  farther  on,  the  third,  a  round,  stolid,  good-natured 
youth  of  nineteen,  is  by  the  side  of  his  fair  Jicmcee  of 
twenty-two,  who  is  also  his  mother's  sister,  and  conse- 
quently his  aunt  y  and  the  younger  members  of  both 
households  are  likewise  arranged  in  cooing  pairs  ;  all  of 
which  goes  to  show  that  love  is  early  fledged  in  Cuba, 
and  often  flies  in  strange  directions. 

Into  this  soft  concert  of  wooing  somebody  sends  a 
proposition  for  a  dance.  Josifa  goes  to  the  piano,  the 
party  quickly  resolves  itself  into  couples  (where  it  is  not 
already   done),   and   begins  the  slow,  dreamy,  circlmg 


244  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA, 

measures  of  the  favorite  contra-dcmza.  Old  and  young 
join,  even  to  the  grandmother ;  and  round  and  round 
they  go,  solemn,  stately,  and  deliberate,  as  the  planets 
in  their  courses, — now  and  then  facing  each  other  for  a 
right  and  left,  and  then  going  round  and  round  again, — 
till  one's  brain  reels  with  the  sight,  and  the  chairs  and 
tables,  the  pictures  and  the  lights,  seem  to  be  going 
round  and  round,  too.  There  is  no  doubt  at  all  about 
the  negroes  in  the  court, — their  low  laughter  and  the 
rhythm  of  their  feet,  as  they  whirl  and  stamp  to  the 
sound  of  the  music,  are  plainly  to  be  heard ;  and  very 
likely  I  might  see  the  pigs  and  the  chickens,  the  parrots 
and  the  pigeons,  amicably  revolving  and  balancing  in 
company,  if  I  were  not  too  sleej^y  to  look  out.  For  it 
is  getting  fearfully  late;  that  slow,  dreamy,  tireless 
dance  was  certainly  meant  for  eternity  rather  than  time, 
— people  who  have  only  an  earthly  afternoon  or  even- 
ing before  them  ought  never  to  engage  in  it.  However, 
it  is  finally  brought  to  an  end,  the  vola7ites  and  saddle- 
horses  are  ordered  round,  there  is  a  pleasant  tangle  of 
kissing  and  leave-taking  on  the  j)iazza,  a  rapid  mount- 
ing of  seats  and  saddles,  a  clear-toned  "  Vamos  !  "  from 
Don  Gervasio,  and  we  are  en  route  for  Santa  Sofia. 

I  came  in  a  volcoite^  but  I  return  on  horseback,  hav- 
ing exchanged  places  with  Josifa,  for  reasons  of  no  value 
to  anybody  but  the  owner.  It  is  my  first  trial  of  a 
Cuban  saddle,  but  having  been  early  accustomed  to  ride 
on  any  saddle — or  none,  at  a  pinch — it  gives  me  no 
trouble.  Especially,  as  my  pony's  gait  is  scarcely  less 
light,  stealthy,  and  swift,  than  that  of  a  phantom-horse. 


PLANTATION  PICTURES.  245 

It  stirs  me  not  iii  the  saddle,  it  makes  a  seeming  dead 
level  of  all  the  ruts  and  roughnesses  of  the  road, — I 
might  carry  a  brimming  cup  in  my  hand,  and  sijill  no 
dro})  of  its  contents.  Our  way  is  a  combination  of 
tropical  light,  warmth,  stillness,  and  fragrance,  too  de- 
loctable  to  be  fully  enjoyed  otherwise  than  slowly  and 
silently,  drop  by  drop  ;  so  Juan  and  I  quietly  fall  into 
che  rear,  and  let  the  noise  and  confusion  of  our  miscella- 
neous party  gradually  die  away  in  the  forward  distance. 
The  moonlight  (have  I  ever  before  mentioned  Cuban 
moonlight  ?)  is  like  a  spell  of  enchantment ;  it  seems  to 
set  the  scene  entirely  apart  from  the  every-day  world. 
It  glorifies  the  palm-groups  with  a  grace  too  fair  for 
aught  but  the  banks  of  the  River  of  Life ;  it  transfigures 
the  canefields  into  a  shining  sea  of  glass ;  it  makes  of 
the  forest  an  enchanted  ground  of  rippling  lights  and 
tremulous  shadows;  it  breathes  through  the  long,  arched, 
and  columned  vistas  of  the  grand  old  palm  avenues  the 
very  spirit  of  consecration.  The  air  is  full  of  the  incense 
of  imseen  flowers, — unseen,  save  where  the  light  finger 
of  a  moonbeam  touches  some  white  or  yellow  chalice 
into  unearthly  beauty  and  delicacy.  "We  recognize  the 
mangrove,  the  jessamme,  the  lime,  the  heliotrope,  and 
the  wild  grapevine,  by  their  fragrant  breath ;  and  we  are 
caught  and  held  entranced  by  the  odorous  blossoms  of  a 
bitter  orange-tree,  that  lean  far  over  the  road  and  touch 
our  cheeks  with  their  dewy  lips. 

Suddenly,  a  song,  faint  but  lusciously  sweet,  rises 
from  a  remote  thicket.  Spellbound  we  listen,  as  it 
slowly  draws  near, — swelling  higher  and  higher,  till  the 


246  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

boughs  overhead  seem  possessed  with  the  very  soul  of 
melody,  as  well  as  of  fragrance, — and  breaks  off  abruptly, 
at  last,  as  if  the  singer  might  have  been  startled  by  the 
sight  of  our  statuesque  figures. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  I  ask  Juan,  drawing  a  long  breath. 

"  It  is  a  nightingale,"  he  answers,  absently. 

Is  he  dreaming  of  the  orange  groves  of  Andalusia? 
or  are  there  nightingales  in  Cuba?  But  I  will  not 
break  the  silence  by  a  sound.  Be  it  a  nightingale  for- 
evermore  1 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

FIRE    IN   THE    CANE  ! 

13  ITT  the  latter  days  of  my  stay  at  Santa  Sofia  were 
to  be  made  memorable  by  more  stirring  jDictures. 
We  were  sitting  on  the  piazza,  one  morning — Doiia 
Angela,  Engracia,  and  I — when  I  noticed  a  light,  fleecy 
cloud  rising  slowly  over  the  fruit  gardens  in  the  rear; 
which  gradually  increased  in  volume,  and  deepened  in 
color,  until  a  faint  odor  of  smoke  began  to  pervade  the 
atmosphere.  Then  my  companions  suddenly  started  up 
with  alarmed  faces,  and  rapid  exclamations  and  ques- 
tions. Presently,  an  unusual  stir  and  excitement  be- 
came apparent  in  the  sugar-house — the  engineer,  and 
others  came  out  and  stood  in  knots,  discussing  the 
smoke  and  its  possibilities.  Don  Julio  quickly  joined 
them,  and  messengers  were  sent  forth  in  hot  haste. 
There  was  a  short  interval  of  seething  suspense  and 
expectation  ;  and  then  a  panic-stricken  negro  came  flying 
up  the  road,  calling  out  breathlessly  those  words  most 
appalling  to  a  planter's  ears,  "  El  fuego  en  la  cana ! " 
(Fire  in  the  cane !)  The  adjacent  plantation,  La  Bel- 
lorita,  was  on  fire  ! 

Then  ensued  a  scene  of  such  terror  and  confusion  as 
seemed  to  me  quite  disproportioned  to  the  occasion. 


248  MY   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

The  senoritas  wept  and  wrung  their  hands,  Dona  Angela 
gathered  her  three  children  in  her  arms  and  held  them 
tight,  with  an  expression  that  seemed  to  say  that  no  fire 
should  break  through  that  loving  barrier,  and  the  elder 
lady  strove  A'ainly  to  control  her  trembling  hands  and 
quivering  lips.  I  knew,  of  course,  that  destruction  of 
the  cane  meant  pecuniary  loss  to  the  planter,  but  I  did 
not  then  know  that  these  fires  frequently  swallow  up 
dwellings,  negro-quarters,  sugar-houses,  cattle,  and  even 
human  life,  in  their  progress,  leaving  nothing  behind 
but  a  black,  smoking  desolation. 

Don  Julio  mounts  his  horse  and  rides  off  to  the 
scene  of  the  conflagration,  to  offer  his  assistance  to  his 
sufferino:  friend.  The  field-hands  are  called  in,  formed 
into  gangs,  under  drivers,  and  sent  off  after  him.  Later 
in  the  day,  the  engine  is  stopped,  for  the  first  and  only 
time  in  the  season,  and  all  the  resources  of  the  estate 
are  strained  to  the  utmost  to  meet  and  conquer  the  ter- 
rible foe.  Meanwhile,  the  black  cloud  of  smoke  spreads 
and  rises,  hangmg  a  veil  over  the  face  of  the  sun,  which 
shoots  through  it  only  feeble,  yellowish  rays ;  and  we 
women  watch  and  wait,  under  the  constant  excitement 
of  bulletins  from  the  fire.  Xow  it  spreads— now  it  is 
stayed — now  it  breaks  from  all  control  and  marches 
triumj^hantly  over  the  estate,  burning  carts  and  oxen 
where  they  stand,  and  driving  the  frightened  negroes 
before  it !  Now  it  has  reached  the  sugar-house,  and 
machinery,  furnaces,  and  boilers,  are  wrapped  in  a  sheet 
of  wrathful  flame !  Now  it  attacks  the  harracoyi,  and 
the  poor  homes  and  possessions  of  the  negroes  are  quickly 


FIRE  m  THE  CANE.  249 

laid  in  ashes !  Kow,  the  patients  are  brought  out  of  the 
hospital,  and  that  becomes  a  savory  morsel  for  the  tooth 
of  the  destroyer.  Must  the  mansion  burn,  too  ?  For  a 
time,  its  fate  trembles  in  the  balance.  Fortunately  there 
was  but  little  shade  or  verdure  around  it,  and  tliat  little 
■vras  cut  down  and  borne  off  in  the  first  alarm ;  more- 
over, it  is  girdled  Avith  a  host  of  negroes  and  coolies, 
armed  with  bushes,  blankets,  buckets  of  water,  and 
whatever  may  arrest  the  flames, — and  so,  it  escaj^es  ! 

But  the  fire  is  spreading  rapidly  in  the  direction  of 
Santa  Sofia,  and  Don  Julio  finds  that,  in  order  to  save 
one  part  of  his  plantation,  he  must  sacrifice  another. 
Several  acres  of  cane  are  quickly  isolated  from  the  rest, 
by  clearing  a  broad  belt  all  around  them,  and  the  torch 
is  set  to  the  doomed  fields.  Slowly,  light  wreaths  of 
smoke  curl  upward,  and  spread  and  darken,  red  tongues 
of  fire  fork  and  flare  among  them ;  then  a  black,  dense 
cloud  sweeps  grandly  over  the  field,  "svith  lurid  banners 
of  flame  in  the  midst,  and  a  sound  like  the  surging  of 
a  stormy  sea.  It  rushes,  red  and  angry,  toward  the 
advancing  fire  beyond — the  columns  of  smoke  meet  and 
mingle — the  flames  grapple  each  other  with  a  fierce,  ex- 
ultant roar — they  rise,  and  fall,  and  leap,  and  wrestle 
together — they  wreathe  and  tT\dst,  and  flash  and  flare, 
in  the  death-struggle — they  rise  again,  and  quiver,  and 
flicker,  and  fall  to  rise'  no  more.  On  this  side,  the  fire 
is  arrested,  and  Santa  Sofia  is  saved ! 

But  on  our  neighbor's  ground,  the  fight  still  goes 
on,  and  not  until  evening  does  Don  Julio  ride  back  to 
say  that  all  is  over.  Then  the  negroes  come  slowly  and 
11* 


250  MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

wearily  homeward, — a  forlorn,  haggard,  begrimed,  Ut- 
terly exhausted  company,  with  some  burned  limbs  and 
blistered  faces  among  them.  These  are  ordered  to  the 
hospital,  and  the  rest  are  locked  into  quarters,  with  an 
intimation  that  two  or  three  days  of  entire  rest  will  be 
given  them  before  they  are  remanded  to  labor — which 
brings  a  little  light  into  their  stolid  faces.  Some  of  the 
least  exhausted  of  them,  however,  after  a  brief  season 
of  rest  and  refreshment,  must  needs  be  detailed  as  a 
night-watch,  under  the  supervision  of  the  contra-may- 
or  ales;  for  sparks  are  still  rising  from  the  late  scene  of 
conflagration,  and  may  be  wafted  into  neighboring  cane- 
fields. 

Sweet,  after  this  exciting  day,  is  the  serenity  of  the 
tropical  night,  ivith  its  coronet  of  stars,  its  mellow  efful- 
gence of  moonlight,  its  breath  of  coolness  and  balm.  We 
draw  together  on  the  piazza,  and  rehearse  the  incidents  of 
the  fire,  discovering  new  touches  of  the  comic  or  the  pa- 
thetic ;  or  we  discuss  its  origin,  wondering  whether  the 
incendiary  spark  fell  from  the  furtive  cigar  of  a  slave, 
transgressing  the  order  not  to  smoke  in  the  cane,  or  was 
flung  abroad  by  the  railway  engine  this  morning,  as  it 
steamed  across  a  comer  of  La  Bellorita,  half  a  mile  dis- 
tant. And  as  we  talk,  the  breeze  comes  to  us  across  the 
flower-beds  of  the  little  front  enclosure,  and  its  perfume 
changes  from  rose  to  geranium,  ffom  violet  to  heliotrope, 
from  orange  to  verbena  and  mignonette.  And  our  sleep 
is  undisturbed,  for  the  ingenio  is  dark  and  silent,  and 
nought  is  heard  save  the  faint,  hourly  cry  of  the  night- 
watch,  echoing  across  distant  canefields. 


FIRE  m  TILE   CANE.  251 

The  next  morning  we  ride  over  to  the  ruins.  Acres 
upon  acres  of  blackened  stalks  of  cane,  with  red  sparks 
of  fire  in  them,  and  slender  columns  of  gray  smoke 
over  them;  charred  frames  of  carts,  and  blistered  bodies 
of  oxen;  heaps  of  ashes  and  embers  to  mark  the  sites 
of  iliQ.  barraco7i  and  hospital,  and  woe-begone,  home- 
less wretches  crawling  over  them;  the  huge,  black  skel- 
eton of  the  engine  grimly  overlooking  the  dingy  debris 
of  the  sugar-house;  and  in  the  midst,  the  white  colon- 
naded mansion  staring  out,  still  and  ghostly,  over  the 
dreary  waste ! 

I  am  amazed  to  learn  that  those  prostrate,  grimy 
stalks  are  still  available  for  a  dark,  heavy,  most  inferior 
quality  of  sugar,  if  quickly  worked  up;  and  my  host 
has  already  sent  his  neighbor  an  elaborately  worded 
message,  which,  however,  is  as  full  of  genuine  kindness 
as  of  Cuban  courtesy,  since  it  places  his  own  sugar-house, 
and  all  the  accessories,  at  his  immediate  disposal. 

"  It  will  leave  the  boilers  and  vats  in  such  a  state 
that  my  own  sugar  will  be  dingy  for  days  afterward," 
he  says  to  me,  "but  there  is  no  telling  how  soon  I  may 
need  the  same  favor,  and  we  planters  always  do  it  for 
each  other.  I  presume  that  Don  Hernandez  has  his 
choice  of  half  the  ingeiiios'm  the  vicinity.  When  all  is 
done,  his  loss  will  not  be  less**  than  three  hundred 
thousand  dollars." 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

A   CAFBTAL. 

rpHE  eyes  of  the  morning  were  not  yet  opened  when 
Chiquita — the  pretty,  soft- voiced  lady's  maid  of 
Santa  Sofia — stood  at  my  bedside.  "  The  compliments 
of  Don  Juan,  sefto^'a,  and  he  kisses  your  adorable  lit- 
tle hands,  and  throws  himself  at  your  beautiful  little 
feet,  and  would  it  please  you  to  take  an  early  drive  this 
morning." 

Perhaps  it  would  be  too  much  to  say  that  a  long 
sojourn  in  the  United  States  has  taken  the  fine  edge  off 
from  Juan's  native  courtesy,  yet  certain  it  is  that  he 
would  not  send  those  flowers  of  Spanish  rhetoric  to  an 
American  market.  But  Chiquita,  doubtless,  thought 
the  omission  accidental  rather  than  deliberate,  and 
so  made  over  his  simple  message  into  something 
more  accordant  with  her  own  notions  of  fitness,  before 
she  delivered  it  into  my  amused  ears.  There  is  never 
any  doubt  that  a  Cuban  servant  will  do  full  justice  to 
the  most  elaborately  complimentary  message  you  choose 
to  send;  the  chances  are  that  she  will  "better  the 
instruction." 

When  our  volante  came  to  the  door,  the  day  had 
just  gotten  its  eyes  open,  and  its  roseate  smile  bright- 


A    CAFETAL.  253 

ened  the  hilltops.  At  first,  our  way  lay  through  green 
levels  of  dew-gemmed  sugar-cane,  and  was  frequently 
bordered  by  stately  old  palms,  whose  boughs  shone  and 
rustled  like  satin  in  the  sweet,  fresh  breeze  of  the  trop- 
ical mornincj.  I  also  noticed  with  interest  hedges  of 
aloe, — better  known  to  us  as  the  century  plant, — with 
tall,  tree-like  stems,  from  which  the  crimson  or  yellow 
blossoms  had  lately  fallen,  rising  from  them  here  and 

there  ;  and  I  inquired  of  our  old,  white-headed  calesero 

> 

if  it  was  true  that  they  flowered  but  once  in  a  hundred 
years?  *'I  think  not,  senora^^  he  answered,  smiling. 
"  I  am  certain  that  some  of  those  plants  have  bloomed 
twice  in  my  remembrance.  Others,  to  be  sure,  have 
not  bloomed  at  all." 

The  soil  of  these  plantations  is  noticeably  red  in 
color,  resembling  nothing  so  much  as  moist  brickdust, 
but  it  is  exceedingly  fertile.  The  sugar-cane  grows  to 
the  height  of  eight  or  ten  feet,  and  the  stalks  are  thick 
and  succulent.  In  it  we  saw  neojroes  and  coolies  at 
work,  each  gang  being  supervised  by  a  driver — or  con- 
tra-mayoral^  as  he  is  termed  here,-^with  a  whip  in  his 
hand,  as  a  badge  of  office.  Every  laborer  had  a  bright, 
sharp  machete^ — an  instrument  which  is  half  a  sword 
and  half  a  sickle ;  two  strokes  of  this  stripped  the  up- 
right stalk  of  its  long  leaves,  and  a  third  laid  it  on  the 
ground.  They  worked  silently  and  swiftly,  and  the 
dense,  waving  cane  fell  fast  before  them.  After  them 
came  ox-carts,  with  frames  in  them,  which  were  quickly 
loaded  with  the  stalks,  and  driven  ofi"  to  the  sugar- 
house.     The  leaves  serve  as  food  for  the  cattle. 


254  MT  WINTER  ly  CUBA. 

On  the  outskirts  of  the  plantation,  dividing  the  culti- 
vated fields  from  those  where  Nature  still  had  everything 
her  own  way,  Ave  found  stone  walls,  similar  in  construc- 
tion to  those  of  New  England,  but  far  prettier  in  general 
effect ;  since  the  Great  Mother,  being  unable  to  get  rid 
of  them,  had  kindly  taken  them  in  hand,  and  done  her 
best  to  make  them  beautiful  with  rich  brown  of  weather- 
stains,  and  soft  greenery  of  mosses,  and  close-clinging 
drapery  of  flowering  vines,  and  a  dense  border  of  luxu- ' 
riant  ferns  and  other  accumulated  tropical  vegeta- 
tion; among  which,  growing  wild,  were  many  of  the 
plants  that  we  cultivate  in  gardens  at  home.  In  the 
thickets,  I  frequently  beheld  the  dreary  spectacle  of 
some  fine  forest  tree,  strangling  in  the  embrace  of  the 
jaguey-marcho^  the  most  deadly  of  parasites.  It  com- 
mences its  insidious  work  indiscriminately  among  the 
branches  or  on  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  and  in  a  few  years, 
the  body  of  its  victim  is  almost,  or  wholly,  covered  with 
a  curious,  gnarled,  twisted,  and  interlaced  overgrowth, 
varying  from  an  inch  to  two  or  three  inches  in  thick- 
ness ;  and  its  stiff,  yellowish  green  foliage  mixes  with  the 
richer  and  more  graceful  verdure  which  it  is  its  purpose 
to  destroy.  By  and  by,  the  throttled  tree  pales  and 
droops,  the  trunk  seems  to  heave  and  strain  with  a  vain 
effort  to  burst  its  fetters,  then  it  slowly  withers,  dies, 
and  crumbles  away ;  and  the  miserable  parasite  is  left 
standing  alone,  for  a  time,  flaunting  its  fetid,  yellow 
flowers  over  the  grave  of  its  late  companion.  But  retri- 
bution is  at  hand.  At  the  first  touch  of  the  hurricane, 
sweeping  ^^p  from  the  south — the  first  onset  of  the  tempest 


A   CAFETAL,  255 

marching  down  from  the  north — the  hollow  mockery  of 
a  tree  falls  with  a  crash,  to  mingle  its  ashes  with  those 
of  its  betrayed  friend,  by  whose  help  it  lived  its  heart- 
less life,  and  reached  its  temporary  elevation.  El  cii2'>ey 
belongs  to  the  same  order  as  the  jaguey-marchOy  and 
strongly  resembles  it  in  its  habits  and  appearance ;  but 
the  smaller  parasitical  plants,  of  which  there  are  many, 
are  often  gi-aceful  of  form,  and  beautiful  with  every  hue 
of  blossoms. 

We  might  have  spent  the  entire  morning  pleasantly 
in  the  lanes  and  avenues  of  Santa  Sofia,  had  we  chosen, 
so  large  an  area  does  it  cover ;  but  Juan  designed  to 
show  me  a  cafetal ;  and  after  crossing  one  or  two  adja- 
cent plantations,  we  came  upon  a  pleasant  tract  of  hill- 
country,  and  were  soon  in  the  midst  of  a  sylvan  scene 
that  seemed  to  take  the  Garden  of  Eden  out  of  the  mists 
of  tradition,  and  make  it  a  matter  of  visual  experience. 
The  coffee-plant  needs  to  grow  under  shade ;  therefore 
the  estate  is  first  planted  with  whatever  fruit  and  shade 
trees  are  most  to  the  owner's  taste,  and  becomes  a  vast 
grove  of  cocoa,  tamarind,  mango,  cedar,  guava,  plan- 
tain, cacao,  magnolia,  mimosa,  guanabana,  etc.  Under 
these  grows  the  coffee  plant,  an  evergreen  shrub,  covered 
with  snowy,  fragrant  blossoms,  greatly  similar  to  the 
white  jessamine,  and  a  round,  cherry-like  fruit,  of  change- 
ful hues  of  green,  white,  yellow,  and  red,  according  to  its 
degree  of  maturity, — both  fruit  and  flowers  being  found 
on  the  shrub  at  the  same  time.  It  grows  naturally  to 
a  height  of  sixteen  or  eighteen  feet,  but  is  kept  pruned 
down  to  five  or  six,  for  greater  convenience  in  picking. 


256  3fr  WINTER  m  CUBA, 

These  groves  are  permeated  by  sliady,  winding  paths, 
in  which  it  would  be  a  delight  to  lose  one's  self,  and 
divided  into  regular  squares  by  broad  avenues  of  palms, 
and  narrower  alleys  of  orange,  mango,  and  other 
beautiful  tropical  trees.  Interspersed  everywhere  are 
flowering  shrubs  and  vines, — the  oleander,  the  pome- 
granate, the  allspice,  the  lemon,  the  lime,  the  yellow 
elder,  roses,  jessamines,  the  tree  mignonette,  the  scarlet 
penon,  and  a  hundred  others,  with  blossoms  of  every 
hue  and  odor.  The  cactus  family  is  largely  represented, 
the  most  highly  prized  variety  being  the  night-bloom- 
ing cereus,  which  seems  an  aspiring  plant,  climbing 
walls  and  gateways,  and  catching  hold  of  the  boughs  of 
trees,  the  better  to  mount  into  a  region  of  purer  air 
and  clearer  light.  And  everywhere,  amid  the  sunshine 
and  the  flowers,  are  butterflies  and  humming-birds,  and 
innumerable  insects,  some  changefully  gleaming  with 
prismatic  tints,  others  flashing  like  animated  gems. 

Thus,  it  will  be  seen,  the  cafetal  becomes  an  immense 
pleasure  garden, — full  of  flowers  and  fruit — rich  cano- 
pies of  verdure  and  soft  glooms  of  shade — pleasant, 
meandering  walks^and  green  archways  of  interlacing 
boughs,  through  which  the  sunshine  seems  to  drip  more 
goldenly  than  elsewhere.  The  Cubans  call  it  "Para- 
dise," and  I  thought  it  the  loveliest,  peacefullest,  most 
sylvan  and  flowery  abode  that  ever  the  taste  or  thrift  of 
man  devised  for  himself.  How  safe,  good,  and  happy, 
life  ought  to  be  in  such  a  lovely  environment !  If  it  is 
not  so,  if  the  weakness  and  wickedness  of  human  nature 
are  fostered  even  here,  one  may  as  well  give  oTer,  once 


A   CAFETAL.  25*7 

for  all,  waiting  for  the  good  time  and  favorable  circum- 
stances which  seem  so  essential  to  the  work  of  self- 
amendment,  and  straightway  set  about  it,  in  whatever 
narrow  path  and  meagre  outlook  are  open  to  him. 

In  one  of  the  avenues  we  came  upon  a  dark,  middle- 
aged  gentleman,  leaning  upon  a  cane,  who,  recognizing 
our  volcmte  and  ealesero  as  the  property  of  a  neigh- 
bor and  friend,  lifted  his  hat  to  us,  introduced  himself 
as  the  proprietor  of  the  estate,  and  besought  us  to  taste 
of  his  fruit.  A  lithe  mulatto  boy  was  forthwith  set  to 
climbing  trees ;  and  the  fruits  thereof,  with  the  morning- 
dew  still  on  them,  were  showered  into  the  volantej 
while  our  new  acquaintance  amused  himself  with  prepar- 
ing various  unfamiliar  varieties  for  me  to  try,  and 
watching  the  effect.  One  sort  was  handed  to  me  with 
so  transparently  mischievous  a  smile,  that  I  was  fore- 
warned of  evil  at  once,  and  took  care  not  to  plunge 
rashly  into  its  acid  depths ;  but  a  slight  flavor  thereof 
sufficed  to  set  all  my  teeth  on  edge. 

"  What  can  it  possibly  be  used  for  ? "  I  ask,  shud- 
dering. 

"  The  expressed  juice  often  serves  in  lieu  of  vinegar, 
and  we  make  a  good  preserve  of  the  ripe  fruit,"  is  the 
answer. 

My  glance  goes  back  to  the  specimen  in  my  hand, 
and  rests  there  meditatively.  "Can  I  afford  you  any 
further  information  ?  "  asks  the  polite  Don. 

*'  Xo — yes — that  is,  senor,  I  should  like  to  know  how 
many  sugar-crops  are  required  to  sweeten  a  jar  of  that 
preserve ! "  Whereat  he  laughs  as  heartily  as  a  Span- 
iard ever  deigns  to  laugh. 


258  3Tr   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

Nor  did  the  Don's  attentions  stop  here.  He  intro- 
duced us  to  a  pair  of  flamingoes  in  a  pen, — odd,  long- 
legged  and  long-necked  birds  of  the  crane  family, 
awkward  in  movement,  but  of  the  most  beautiful  rose- 
color,  shading  into  white,  and  not  less  than  four  feet 
high.  He  gave  me  a  branch  of  the  Flor  de,Pascua^  or 
Easter  Flower,  with  cream-colored,  wax-like  blossoms, 
and  foliage  of  bright  scarlet.  He  exhibited  a  specimen 
of  the  guana^  or  lace-tree,  the  bark  of  which,  when  duly- 
soaked  in  water,  is  capable  of  being  separated  into  in- 
numerable webs,  of  a  delicate,  mull-like  texture,  which 
are  embroidered,  and  used  as  a  substitute  for  lace. 
Seeing  a  chameleon  on  a  tamarind  tree  near  us,  he  sent 
the  aforesaid  mulatto  boy  in  chase  of  that,  and  dis- 
sertated learnedly  upon  its  habits  and  changes  of  color. 
Finally,  he  showed  us  through  the  coffee-buildings. 

The  operations  of  the  cafetal  present  nothing  of  the 
hard  and  repulsive  features  of  the  iyige^iio.  It  is  simply 
an  easy  and  beautiful  system  of  horticulture,  on  a  most 
extensive  scale.  The  labor  is  chiefly  manual,  and  the 
profit  is  derived  directly  from  the  culture  and  products 
of  the  soil,  without  the  intervention  of  costly  machinery, 
or  the  necessity  of  much  scientific  knowledge  and  skill. 
There  is  no  occasion  for  night  labor,  and  the  negroes 
looked  altogether  heartier  and  hapi^ier  than  those  of  the 
iiigeiiio.  During  the  mnter  months,  they  are  employed 
in  gathering  the  various  and  abundant  fruits  for  market, 
and  in  tending  the  coffee-plants.  From  August  to  De- 
cember, the  coffee-berries  mostly  rijDCn,  when  they  are 
about  the  size  and  general  aj^^^earance  of  our  red  cher- 


A    CAFETAL.  259 

ries.  Tbe  coifee-beriy,  or  grain,  of  commerce,  is  the  seed 
of  this  fruit ;  two  of  which  are  contained  in  each  berry, 
having  their  flat  surfaces  together,  and  a  sweet,  muci- 
laginous pulp  around'  them.  The  ripe  berries  are  picked 
carefully,  by  hand,  in  baskets,  and  spread  on  secaderos^ 
or  driers, — certain  large,  wooden  frames,  where  they  are 
exposed  to  the  sun  by  day,  and  protected  from  the  dew 
by  night,  for  about  three  weeks,  or  until  they  are  quite 
dry  and  hard.  They  are  next  cracked  open,  and  the 
seed  dislodged,  by  means  of  a  heavy,  wooden  wheel, 
moving  in  a  circular  trough  which  is  kept  filled  with  the 
dried  fruit.  They  are  then  passed  tlirough  a  fanning- 
mill,  which  clears  them  from  the  dried  pulp,  and  sepa- 
rates the  larger  grains  from  the  smaller  ones,  with  the 
help  of  a  wire  sieve  which  allows  the  latter,  with  the 
dirt,  to  fall  through  into  a  receiver,  and  passes  on  the 
former  to  a  different  receptacle.  The  contents  of  the 
receiver  are  then  spread  out  on  long  tables,  at  which  a 
company  of  negroes  are  seated,  who  j^ick  out  the  dirt, 
and  make  a  separate  heap  of  the  broken  grains.  The 
coffee  is  then  bagged,  and  ready  for  market.  Some  of 
the  older  trees  produce  a  small,  well  rounded  berry, 
which  is  reckoned  equal  to  the  finest  Mocha. 

The  coffee-culture,  however,  is  fast  declining  in  Cuba, 
on  account  of  the  little  encouragement  it  receives  from 
the  Home  Government,  the  successful  competition  of 
Brazil  and  the  French  Antilles,  and  the  greater  profits 
of  sugar-making.  Year  by  year,  therefore,  these  lovely 
gardens  and  groves  are  cleared,  and  transformed,  as  far 
as  the  nature  of  the  ground  will  admit,  into   a  vast 


260  3fr   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

monotony  of  sun-steeped  cane-fields.  For  the  cane 
loves  sun,  not  shade,  and  wherever  it  appears,  the  trees 
fall, — except  in  the  few  palm-avenues  which  are  retained 
for  boundaries  and  roadways,  and  the  shade  trees  of  the 
casa  de  vivieoida. 

It  was  with  difficulty  that  our  new  friend  was  con- 
strained to  limit  his  favors  to  the  bestowal  of  flowers 
and  fruit,  and  the  exhibition  of  natural  curiosities  and 
cofiee-buildings.  He  invited  us  to  take  coffee,  to  take 
wine,  to  stay  and  dine  with  him,  to  spend  the  night, 
and  make  a  more  thorough  investigation  of  the  premises ; 
all  of  which  hospitalities  we  were  obliged  steadfastly  to 
decline,  and  set  our  faces  toward  Santa  Sofia.  For,  this 
being  my  last  day  in  that  delightful  precinct,  I  was  un- 
willing to  lose  so  much  of  the  society  of  its  inmates, 
between  whom  and  myself  there  had  sprung  up  one  of 
those  wayside  friendships — rapid  in  growth  as  Jonah's 
gourd,  but  not  necessarily  so  transitory — which  con- 
tribute so  much  to  the  pleasure  of  travel.  Hitherto,  I 
frankly  confess,  I  had  not  found  the  Cuban  ladies  and 
myself  entirely  in  harmony;  our  education,  religion, 
habits  of  life  and  thought,  were  so  dissimilar  that  the 
maintenance  of  a  certain  degree  of  reserve  had  seemed  a 
wise  precaution  against  uncomfortable  jarring  of  senti- 
ment. But  Doiia  Angela  and  I  suited  to  the  core  of  our 
hearts ;  nor  was  this  consonance  anywise  disturbed  by 
her  frank  avowal  of  all  manner  of  Spanish  prejudice  and 
misconception,  nor  the  many  rude  Americanisms  with 
which  I  parried  them.  She  was  very  severe  on  our  civil 
war,  had  a  holy  horror  of  ^^ filibuster os,^''  and  could  be 


A    CAFETAL.  261 

especially  eloquent  about  the  length  of  our  tax-list.* 
I  predicted  the  speedy  adoption  of  republican  institutions 
in  Spam,  the  ultimate  absorption  of  Cuba  by  the  United 
States,  and  j)roduced  my  "  ticket  of  disembarkation " 
and  my  subsequent  "  permits "  for  travel  and  for  resi- 
dence. She  ridiculed  tlie  squeamislmess  of  American 
women,  alleging  that  it  was  currently  reported  in  Cuba 
that  they  never  confessed  to  a  pain  in  any  organ  lower 
than  the  throat,  even  to  their  family  physician.  I  re- 
torted that  it  Avas  as  universally  believed  in  the  United 
States  that  all  Cuban  ladies  smoked.  She  animad- 
verted ujjon  the  flippancy,  free  manners  and  flirtations 
of  our  young  ladies ;  and  I  commented  on  the  vacuity 
and  inefiiciency  of  her  countrywomen.     Privately,  how- 

*  It  may  not  be  amiss  to  mention  some  items  of  Cuban  taxation. 
There  is  a  poll-tax,  an  income-tax,  a  tax  upon  industry,  property, 
and  commerce.  All  crops  pay  a  per  centage.  All  contracts  must 
be  made  upon  stamped  paper,  furnished  by  the  government  at  (if  I 
remember  correctly)  eight  dollars  per  sheet.  Permits,  or  licenses, 
must  be  obtained  for  opening  a  school,  store,  market,  place  of 
public  amusement  or  entertainment,  for  street-vending,  for  enter- 
ing a  profession,  for  building  or  repairing,  for  changing  residence 
(whether  from  house  to  house,  or  town  to  town),  for  giving  a 
party,  for  keeping  a  carriage,  for  hiring  out  a  slave,  for  issuing  a 
paper  or  pamphlet,  and  for  travelling  in  the  island,  and  a  passport 
must  be  obtained  for  leaving  it, — any  failure  to  obtain  which  per- 
mits is  punishable  by  a  fine.  Less  than  half  the  revenue  thus 
obtained  is  required  for  the  governmental  expenses  of  the  island, 
the  remainder  is  remitted  to  the  Home  Government.  Xo  wonder 
that  Cuba  has  received  the  expressive,  if  inelegant,  nickname  of 
"  La  taca  de  leche  de  Espafla  " — the  milch  cow  of  Spain ! 


262  3ir  WINTER  /iV  CUBA. 

ever,  I  more  than  half  concurred  with  Dona  Angela  in 
her  last  stricture.  Not  that  I  would  willingly  see  the 
rigid  Cuban  code  of  propriety  adopted  in  my  own  land, 
since  a  little  more  freedom  of  action  is  quite  compatible 
with  true  delicacy ;  and  fosters,  moreover,  that  courage 
and  self-reliance  which  may  be  purity's  best  safeguards. 
But  it  must  be  acknowledged  that,  in  our  society,  the 
liberty  of  young  people  is  fast  degenerating  into  a 
license  that  must  needs  be  as  pernicious  in  its  effects,  as 
it  is  unlovely  in  its  manifestations.  Very  few  Amer- 
ican girls,  nowadays,  possess  that  tender  grace  of 
budding  womanhood,  folded  about  with  soft  veilings  of 
gentle  humility  and  maidenly  reserve,  which  is,  never- 
theless, girlhood's  most  potent  charm. 

We  returned  to  Santa  Sofia  by  a  different  road, 
taking  in  our  way  several  small  farms,  variously  termed 
vegas^  potreros^  sitios^  estancias^  and  fijicas,  according 
as  they  made  a  specialty  of  tobacco,  cattle,  fruits,  and 
vegetables,  or  bees.  The  houses  were  generally  rude  in 
make  and  material,  though  sometimes  roomy,  and  with 
numerous  outbuildings ;  the  most  usual  pattern  being  a 
rough  construction  of  bamboo  poles,  sided  with  palm- 
boards  and  thatched  with  palm-leaves,  consisting  of  a 
living-room  and  a  sleeping-room  or  two,  all  on  one  floor ; 
connected  with  which,  by  a  simple  roof,  was  a  small 
kitchen.  Here  we  saw  the  guajiro^  or  countryman,  at 
home.  He  was  at  once  simple  and  astute,  active  and 
lazy,  brave  and  boastful,  superstitious  and  irreligious, 
domestic  and  vagabond.  He  did  no  regular  work,  but 
divided  his  time  about  equally  between  overseeing  the 


A    CAFETAL.  263 

handful  of  negroes,  or  other  laborers,  employed  on  his 
place,  and  in  gambling,  cock-fighting,  and  loafing.  He 
was  not  unintelligent,  at  least,  as  regarded  his  own  busi- 
ness ;  and  lie  had  the  innate  Cuban  courtesy  of  manner. 
He  gladly  showed  us  all  that  we  cared  to  see,  politely 
answered  our  questions,  and  did  not  sufier  us  to  depart 
without  a  pressing  invitation  to  take  coffee — the  univer- 
sal Cuban  beverasre. 


CHAPTER  XXVL 

BEMBA     AKD     LIMONAE. 

f^'^  the  following  morning  the  volante  was  at  the 
door  at  daybreak,  and  I  took  leave  of  Santa  Sofia 
with  genuine  regret,  knowing  that  henceforth  it  was 
lost  from  my  actual  life,  however  greenly  its  memories 
mijht  cling  to  my  heart.  We  were  to  return  to  Matan- 
zas  by  a  different  route,  and  a  drive  of  three  or  four 
miles  brought  us  to  Bemba,  a  small  town  where  we 
were  to  take  the  cars.  The  train  had  not  arrived  when 
we  alighted  at  the  depot, — a  most  uninviting  spot  for 
even  a  temporary  sojourn.  So  dismissing  the  calesero^  we 
began,  with  our  restless  American  habit,  to  promenade 
u]3  and  down  the  princij^al  street,  followed  by  the  gaze 
of  half  the  j)opulation.  Nothing  more  unlike  an  Amer- 
ican town  can  well  be  imagined.  It  consisted  of  two 
or  three  narrow  streets,  irregularly  paved  with  small 
round  stones,  and  bordered  by  rows  of  contiguous 
houses,  of  different  heights  and  dates,  but  all  run  in  the 
inevitable  one-storied,  massive-walled,  red-tiled  mould; 
and  all  apparently  of  an  antiquity  -that  might  be  called 
venerable,  but  which  was  possibly  owing  as  much  to 
the  ageing  influences  of  the  climate  as  to  tlie  lapse  of 
years.     Theii*  interiors  were  correspondingly  shabby  and 


BEMBA  AND  LIJfONAB.  265 

^^°gy>  "^ith  the  usual  paucity  of  furniture,  and  looked 
as  if  they  might  have  been  inhabited  by  a  long  succes- 
sion of  unthrifty  generations.  Turning  a  corner,  we 
found  a  row  of  still  poorer  houses,  very  coarsely  and 
clumsily  built,  and  stuck  so  close  together  as  to  give  a 
dismal  impression  of  a  sombre,  stifled,  festering,  un- 
wholesome atmosphere  for  the  occupants.  This  fashion 
of  paving  village  streets,  and  building  village  houses  in 
such  close  proximity,  shuts  out  every  rural  charm, — 
all  those  soft  depths  of  verdure  and  shade,  and  pleasant 
mosaics  of  grass-plot  and  garden,  which  make  a  New 
England  village  so  picturesque  an  object.  Xot  a  tree, 
nor  shrub,  nor  blade  of  grass,  brightened  the  scene; 
and  the  sky  Avas  merely  a  narrow,  shimmering  strip 
overhead. 

The  town  was  so  small  that  I  had  twice  traversed 
its  entire  length,  within  a  few  minutes ;  passing  each 
time  a  little  coffee-house,  whose  stone  floor  joined  the 
street  pavement,  and  whose  small  round  tables  en- 
croached upon  that  narrow  pathway  to  an  inconvenient 
extent.  At  one  of  these  sat  a  handsome,  portly  gentle- 
man, with  a  cheerful  t\\inkle  in  his  eye ;  whose  table 
service  narrowly  escaped  being  swept  off  by  my  gar- 
ments at  every  turn.  On  my  third  appearance  this 
personage  rose,  bowed  low,  and  said,  with  inimitable 
grace  of  phrase  and  manner,  "  As  there  was  yet  some 
time  before  the  train  was  due,  and  the  village  offered 
little  to  interest  strangers,  and  the  sun  was  exceeding 
hot,  perhaps  we  would  do  him  the  honor  to  take  a  cup 
of  coffee  with  him,  Avhile  we  waited.  Otherwise  "  (an- 
12 


266  MY   WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

Other  low  bow)  "  his  unhappy  table  must  beg  pardon  for 
being  so  much  in  our  way." 

It  was  good  to  find  so  fair  a  flower  of  the  generous, 
old-time  hosj^itality  springing  up  in  the  midst  of  the 
selfish  modern  civilization,  and  I  could  not  find  it  in  my 
heart  to  leave  it  unplucked.  So  I  nodded  to  Juan,  and 
we  sat  down  opposite  the  courtly  stranger,  in  the  narrow 
street  of  the  quaint  little  town,  and  partook  of  his  coflfee 
and  rolls,  and  listened  to  his  humorous,  meandering  talk, 
and  answered  his  questions  about  those  United  States 
which  he  had  always  meant  to  visit  for  himself,  but  would 
never  now  behold,  it  was  plain  to  see.  For  the  slug- 
gish spell  of  the  fervid  Cuban  sky  was  strong  upon 
him,  and  he  would  dream  away  his  life  in  that  quiet, 
queer  old  town,  brightening  its  memory  to  strangers 
with  the  amaranthine  flower  of  an  unsurpassed  and  un- 
sui-passable  courtesy,  knowing  nothing  of  the  outside 
world  save  what  the  train  and  the  newspaj^er  brought 
him,  and  wondering,  by  and  by,  when  it  was  that  he 
grew  so  old ! 

We  also  made  a  brief  stop  at  the  little  village  of 
Limonar,  highly  recommended  to  invalids  as  a  place  of 
residence  for  the  spring  months,  on  account  of  its  pure 
and  invigorating  air.  It  lies  in  the  midst  of  a  gently 
undulating  and  deeply  fertile  country,  with  here  and 
there  a  wooded  hill,  and  on  one  side,  a  blue  chain  of 
mountains.  Its  outward  aspect  is  that  of  all  Cuban 
villages, — a  small  2'>lciza,  planted  with  palms,  a  church, 
two  or  three  posadas,  or  inns,  a  few  shops,  and  a  cluster 
of  red-tiled  roofs.    Its  inhabitants  seemed  very  idle  in  the 


BEMDA   AXD   LTMOXAR.  267 

warm,  summery  clay,  they  were  seated  at  their  o\)Qn  doors 
and  windows,  or  gathered  in  little  groups  on  the  side- 
walks, leisurely  chatting  together,  and  coolly  observant 
of  the  i^assing  stranger.  It  was  all  very  dreamy,  and  very 
l^icturesque, — the  idle  groups,  the  little  2^lciza  steeped  in 
warmth  and  languor,  the  distant  mountains  wrapped  in 
slumbrous  folds  of  haze,  and,  on  the  green,  breeze-kissed 
hillsides,  the  plumy  cocoa-nut  trees  rocking  themselves 
to  sleep. 

I  saw  nothing  worth  noting,  in  the  matter  of  scenery, 
on  my  homeward  journey;  there  was  only  the  old 
material  of  hills  and  valleys,  palms,  ceibas  and  cane- 
fields,  kaleidoscopically  wrought  into  new  pictures, 
which  one  would  never  tire  of  gazing  upon,  but  which 
may  well  become  wearisome  in  my  feeble  sketches.  But 
I  did  find  an  order  of  beings  in  those  cars,  that,  to  my 
long  unwonted  eyes,  seemed  now  to  be  seen  for  the  first 
time.  Certain  commercial  agents,  from  the  United 
States,  were  on  board,  making  a  tour  of  the  j^lantations, 
with  designs  upon  the  forthcoming  sugar  crops.  Their 
figures  did  not  appear  to  advantage,  drawn  in  strong 
light  and  shade  on  a  background  of  grave  Spanish 
courteousness  and  dignity.  They  put  their  feet  on  the 
seats,  they  yawned  and  stretched,  they  roamed  restlessly 
up  and  down  the  passage  way,  they  shouted  bad  witti- 
cisms to  each  other  from  opposite  ends  of  the  cars,  they 
badgered  the  conductor,  and  they  smoked  as  vigorously 
as  the  Spaniards,  but  witli  far  greater  and  more  reckless 
expenditure  of  saliva.  They  seemed  to  have  left  all  the 
decent  restraints  of  life  at   home,   to  roam  lawlessly 


268  MY   WINTER  IJY  CUBA, 

among  a  people  whereof  the  ceremonious  politeness  has 
passed  into  a  proverb.  Yet* no  doubt  any  one  of  them 
would  have  resigned  his  seat  to  me  instantly,  if  the 
cars  had  been  crowded,  and  taken  it  quite  as  a  matter  of 
course,  if  I  had  omitted  to  say  "  thank  you."  Verily, 
we  are  at  once  the  worst  and  the  best  mannered  people 
in  the  world ! 

And  once  again  I  was  startled  to  find  how  things 
once  familiar  had  grown  strange  to  me.  On  a  little 
elevation  near  the  railway,  with  a  barren  monotony  of 
low,  wild  shrubbery  around  it,  stood  one  of  those  brown- 
painted,  many-windowed,  ornate  villas,  which  are  grow- 
ing up  everywhere  in  my  own  country,  but  of  which 
there  is  not,  I  presume,  another  specimen  in  all  Cuba. 
I  used  to  think  them  pretty,  and  should  find  them  so 
still,  doubtless,  in  surroundings  better  adapted  to  them  ; 
but  beside  the  grand,  simple  sweep  of  the  tropical  land- 
scape, the  toy-like  dwelling  was  insufferably  petty  and 
finical.  I  comprehended,  then,  that  architecture  must 
necessarily  be  a  growth  and  not  a  creation,  and  that 
every  style  has  some  subtle  relation  to  the  climate  where 
it  was  born,  and  does  not  bear  transplanting.  The 
straight,  simple  lines,  broad  colonnades,  and  massive  cor- 
nice of  Santa  Sofia  came  back  to  me  now  as  the  ideal 
perfection  of  a  Cuban  dwelling,  though  I  had  not 
thought  of  it  before. 

By  and  by,  the  lofty  head  of  the  3Ionte  del  Pan  rose 
over  the  hill  ranges,  and  welcomed  me  back  to  Ma- 
tanzas;  which  was  all  the  more  homelike  that  I  had 
lived  there  long  enough  to  get  a  little  tired  of  it  before 


BE  MB  A   AXD   LIMOXAR.  209 

I  went  away.  I  suspect  that  much  of  the  charm  of 
home  and  friends  is  due  to  this  same  placid  wontedness, 
verging  on  tedium;  without  it  tliere  may  be  gayoty, 
excitement,  tumultuous  alternations  of  exhilaration  and 
depression,  but  no  tranquil,  peaceful  happiness,  "  flow- 
ing like  a  river."  Certain  it  is  that  the  four  walls  of 
my  little  room,  of  wliich  I  had  grown  immensely  weary 
before  I  left  them,  now  took  on  the  most  genial,  com- 
fortable, restful  aspect,  making  me  feel  and  say  from 
my  heart,  "  How  good  it  is  to  be  at  home  !  " 


CHAPTER  XXVn. 

SHADOW, 

rpiIOXJGH  Cuba  is  justly  called  a  paradise,  yet  it  is  an 
earthly  one,  and  subject  to  earthly  conditions.  Dis- 
ease and  death  have  their  sombre  part  in  its  life.  And, 
for  a  brief  space,  I  came  just  enough  within  their  shadow 
to  be  able  to  acquaint  my  readers  with  some  peculiarities 
of  Cuban  sick-rooms  aud  Cuban  funerals, — though  not 
enough  to  make  the  task  difficult,  by  reason  of  recollec- 
tions personally  j^ainful. 

I  should  have  said,  at  the  end  of  the  last  chapter, 
that  I  did  not  enter  those  four  familiar  w^alls  witliout 
some  difficulty.  The  arrival  of  our  volante  before  the 
Samano  threshold  being  duly  announced  within.  Dona 
Coloma  appeared  in  the  door,  with  a  welcoming  smile, 
but  a  warning  gesture.  There  was  sickness  in  the  house, 
she  said.  Dolorita  had  been  seized  AVith  doubtful  symp- 
toms two  days  before ;  the  nature  of  her  disease  was  still 
uncertain.  But  the  rest  of  the  children  had  been  sent 
to  their  grandmother,  until  further  developments.  Nor 
must  I  be  exposed  to  danger.  Her  mother  would  be 
haj^py  to  receive  me  also.  So  would  her  sister  Lolita. 
Both  had  placed  their  houses  unreservedly  at  my  dis- 
posal. I  had  but  to  choose,  and  let  the  volante  convey 
me  forthwith  to  tlie  preferred  haven. 


SHADOW.  271 

"What  is  the  disease  supposed  to  be?"  I  asked, 
going  straight  at  tlie  j^oiiit  hidden  under  all  this  careful 
discourse. 

Evidently  Dona  Coloma  found  it  hard  to  put  her 
fear  into  j^lain  words.  She  could  not  tell — she  hoped — 
it  might  he  nothing  serious — but — there  had  been  a 
case  of  small-pox  next  door — and — 

"  Is  that  all  ?  "  I  responded,  cheerfully.  "  Then,  if 
you  do  not  absolutely  shut  your  doors  against  me,  I  shall 
come  in.  Did  we  all  pass  unhurt  and  undismayed  through 
the  small-pox  ei^idemic  of  two  months  ago,  to  run  aAvay 
from  a  sporadic  case  or  two,  now  ?  " 

The  senora's  face  brightened  visibly.  Courage  is 
contagious,  as  well  as  fear.  Nevertheless,  the  atmos- 
phere of  the  house  was  far  from  cheerful.  Dolorita  was 
quarantined  at  the  farther  end  of  one  of  the  wings.  The 
servants  moved  about  stealthily,  with  panic-shadowed 
faces.  There  was  an  unnatural  silence  and  orderliness 
throughout  the  large  rooms  and  long  galleries — no  scur- 
rying to  and  fro  of  children's  feet,  no  shouting  and 
laughter,  no  litter  of  play-things.  Especially  did  I  miss 
Odila's  comical  pranks  and  wild  flow  of  spirits. 

At  dusk,  the  doctor  made  one  of  his  semi-daily  visits. 
"Watchmg  him  closely,  it  struck  me  that  he  did  not  look 
like  a  man  in  doubt,  nor  one  burdened  mth  a  disagree- 
able certainty,  though  he  still  declined  to  speak  pos- 
itively with  regard  to  the  disease.  But  he  miglit  liave 
reasons  of  his  own  for  keeping  others  hi  suspense.  In  a 
house  of  so  many  inmates,  a  certain  degree  of  anxiety 
and  dread  was,  no   doubt,  conducive  to  the  quiet  and 


272  MY   WINTER   IX  CUBA. 

regularity  of  the  sick-room.      And,  in  the  confidence 
thus  insjDircd,  I  ventured  to  pay  it  a  visit. 

But,  upon  my  first  glance  at  the  patient,  I  half 
repented  of  my  temerity.  Certainly,  nothing  but  small- 
pox could  be  answerable  for  a  skin  like  that !  Always 
very  dark  of  complexion,  Dolorita  was  now  a  perfect 
little  blackamoor.  Her  small  countenance  was  posi- 
tively elfish  in  its  dinginess  and  its  sharpness.  This 
efiect  was  enhanced  by  a  large  blue  cotton  handker- 
chief wound  round  her  head,  turban-fashion.  "  "What 
for?"  I  could  not  help  asking.  "To  keep  her  from 
taking  cold,"  responded  her  mother.  A  most  unneces- 
sary precaution,  it  seemed  to  me,  with  the  thermometer 
ranging  from  eighty-four  to  ninety ! 

Observing  the  dingy  face  more  narrowly,  I  was 
somewhat  reassured  to  notice  that  it  still  had  a  very 
natural  expression — Dolorita's  owm  habitual  self-com- 
placence, rather  intensified  than  otherwise  under  the 
favorable  influences  consequent  upon  being  the  centre  of 
interest, — a  position  always  congenial  to  the  tastes  of 
the  little  maiden.  She  responded  to  my  polite  inquiries 
in  a  tone  wherein  a  certain  satisfaction  was  so  thinly 
masked  by  a  doleful  whine,  that  I  was  made  tolerably 
easy  about  her,  at  once.  It  was  plain  that  her  situation 
was  neither  so  dangerous  nor  so  painful  but  that  she  was 
able  to  extract  a  considerable  degree  of  enjoyment  from 
it.  And,  gradually,  a  suspicion  arose  within  me  that 
the  duskiness  of  her  complexion  was  possibly  owing  to 
another  cause  than  disease,  that  a  plentiful  apj^lication 
of  Boap  and  water  would  produce  a  more  magical  efifect 


SHADOW.  273 

than  was  ever  i^a-ought  by  the  artfuUcst  cosmetic.  As 
delicately  as  might  be,  I  ventured  to  hint  this  possibility 
to  her  mother.  She  replied,  composedly,  tliat  Dolorita 
was,  without  doubt,  frightfully  dirty ;  but,  inasmuch  as 
she  had  a  little  fever,  it  was  impossible  to  wash  her  with 
water ;  and  as  she  had  an  insurmountable  antipathy  to 
aguardiente  (cane-rum),  and  would  not  allow  them  to 
touch  her  with  it,  there  was  nothing  to  be  done  but  to 
let  her  go  unwashed  till  the  fever  left  her ! 

This  dread  of  water,  and  the  belief  in  the  necessity 
of  bundling  up  a  patient's  head,  seem  to  be  common  to 
all  Cuban  nurses.  A  medicamental  peculiarity  is  the 
free  use  of  olive  oil  and  garlic,  both  in  professional  and 
domestic  practice.  A  favorite  article  of  sick-diet  is  a 
certain  sojki  depan^  prepared  by  laying  a  slice  of  bread 
(toasted  or  not,  at  discretion)  in  a  deep  plate,  breaking 
a  raw  ^^^'^  upon  it,  and  pouring  a  weak  beef  or  chicken 
broth,  boiling  hot,  over  the  whole.  I  remember  nothing 
else  that  was  noteworthy  in  the  regimen  of  the  sick- 
room. 

At  breakfast,  next  morning,  considerable  excitement 
was  caused  by  the  sudden  appearance  of  Odila,  some- 
what scantily  clad  in  a  chemise  and  an  apron.  Tlie 
news  of  my  return  being  the  one  drop  too  much  in  the 
poor  child's  cup  of  homesickness,  she  had  eluded  the 
vigilance  of  grandmother  and  nurse,  snatched  tlie 
nearest  garments,  and  made  the  best  of  her  way  Iiome. 
She  now  threw  herself  upon  my  neck  in  a  kind  of  insane 
rapture,  showered  me  with  kisses,  choked  me  witli  hugs, 
and  finally  fell  to  chewing  my  hair,  by  way  of  outlet  to 
12* 


274  MY   ^YIXTER   IX  CUBA. 

her  overflowing  gladness.  From  this  Avhimsical  occupa- 
tion  she  was  torn,  perforce,  by  Atanasia,  and,  despite 
her  frantic  struggles  and  i)uny  wrath,  dragged  back  to 
exile. 

However,  it  was  soon  over.  That  very  afternoon, 
the  doctor  favored  us  with  his  professional  conclusions. 
Dolorita  had  been  threatened  with  a  fever,  but  it  had 
gracefully  yielded  to  timely  and  efficient  remedies. 
There  was  no  longer  any  cause  for  apprehension.  Thus 
the  shadoAV — never  very  deep,  except  for  the  possibilities 
that  seemed  to  lurk  within  it — was  lifted  from  our 
dwelling. 

Scarce  a  week  after,  a  near  neighbor  and  familiar 
friend  died  suddenly,  of  apoplexy.  Immediately  Dona 
Coloma  sent  a  message  of  condolence  to  the  afflicted 
family,  placed  a  man-servant  at  their  disposal,  and  of- 
fered her  own  assistance  in  the  preparation  of  mourning 
garments, — the  latter  friendly  office  being  of  special 
avail  in  a  country  where  the  interval  between  death  and 
interment  seldom  exceeds  twenty-four  hours.  Her  offer 
being  gratefully  accepted,  she  straightway  set  to  w^ork 
upon  certain  black  material  sent  her,  and  scarce  inter- 
mitted her  labors  till  the  time  of  the  funeral. 

Meanwhile  the  corpse  was  laid  in  state.  A  platform, 
covered  with  black  cloth,  was  erected  in  the  middle  of 
the  sala^  upon  which  the  coffin  was  placed,  resting  upon 
three  large  cushions.  Around  this  platfoi*m  were  twelve 
candlesticks,  not  less  than  five  or  six  feet  high,  contain- 
ing lighted  wax  candles  of  about  the  same  height ;  and 
between  these,  were  smaller  ones, — all  of  which  were  to 


SHADOW.  2*75 

be  kept  Inirning  until  the  removal  of  the  corpse.  Tlie 
walls,  doors,  aiul  windows,  were  lugubriously  draped 
with  black ;  as  was  also  an  adjoining  room,  for  tlie  use 
of  the  mourners.  A  guard  of  honor  kept  watch  over  the 
corpse,  composed  of  servants  in  livery,  furnished  l)y 
friends  and  neighbors;  to  which,  as  aforementioned, 
Doiia  Coloma  had  contributed  her  quota.  The  final 
effect  of  these  arrangements  was  both  sombre  and  im- 
posing. 

At  night,  it  being  supposed  that  the  grief  of  the 
near  relatives  was  too  acute  to  admit  of  sleep,  many  of 
the  friends  of  the  family,  both  male  and  female,  joined 
them,  to  form  a  velada, — a  word  corresponding  very 
nearly,  in  this  sense,  to  the  Irish  "  wake."  At  midnight, 
a  supper  was  served ;  at  which  time,  the  gathering  might 
almost  have  been  mistaken  for  a  pleasure-party.  On  the 
following  day,  too,  just  before  the  funeral,  a  dinner  was 
provided  for  all  present  who  cared  to  partake  of  it. 

At  two  o'clock,  P.M.,  the  funeral  rites  began  with 
the  recital  of  prayers,  three  or  four  priests  being  pre- 
sent, each  of  whom  would  receive  a  fee  for  his  trouble. 
The  procession  was  then  formed :  tlie  priests  led  the 
way,  on  foot,  and  in  their  robes,  followed  by  three  aco- 
lyths  bearing  long  silver  rods  surmounted  by  crosses 
and  lighted  tapers ;  next,  came  the  hearse,  with  glass 
sides  and  top,  surrounded  by  the  aforesaid  guard  of 
honor;  then  a  long  double  file  of  the  male  friends  and 
acquaintances  of  the  deceased ;  and  after  them,  their 
own  empty  volantes  and  carnages,  and  as  many  others 
as  had  been  sent  for  the  purpose,  making  a  long  lino  of 


276  3fY  WINTER  IN  CUBA. 

unoccupied  vehicles  and  liveried  coachmen.  Ko  females 
joined  in  the  procession, — neither  did  the  nearest  male 
relatives  of  the  deceased, — to  do  so  would  be  deemed 
inconsistent  with  their  grief.  All  persons  in  the  streets 
stopped  and  lifted  their  hats,  as  the  procession  passed. 

At  the  cathedral,  there  were  more  candles  and  more 
prayers,  a  responsory  was  sung,  and  the  coffin  was 
sprinkled  with  holy  water.  The  procession  then  moved 
to  the  Campo  Santo  (literally,  "holy  ground" — other- 
wise, cemetery) — a  barren  and  repulsive  spot  enough.  It 
is  surrounded  by  high  walls,  and  traversed  by  others,  all 
eight  or  ten  feet  thick,  and  honeycombed  with  row 
upon  row  of  niches  for  the  reception  of  coffins, — some 
open,  some  closed  with  marble  slabs  bearing  the  name, 
date  of  death,  etc.,  of  the  occupant.  The  open  ground 
between  the  walls  is  filled  by  the  graves  of  the  humbler 
classes,  all  level  with  the  ground,  and  marked  by  a 
small  horizontal  slab ;  —  here  also  are  a  few  family 
vaults.  There  is  no  ostentation,  neither  is  there  any 
beauty ; — the  whole  is  hard,  bare,  cheerless. 

The  coffin,  which  we  have  followed  thus  far,  was 
deposited  in  one  of  the  above-named  niches,  during  the 
recital  of  prayers ;  and  the  opening  was  closed.  The 
members  of  the  funeral  suite  then  entered  their  car- 
riages, and  drove  back  to  the  desolate  dwelling.  Here, 
the  sala  had  been  cleared  of  the  funeral  apparatus,  and 
filled  with  rows  of  chairs,  in  one  of  which  rows  sat  the 
bereaved  family.  The  returned  suite  took  seats,  and  re- 
mained in  profound  silence  for  about  half  an  hour.  Then, 
one  by  one,  they  rose,  shook  hands  with  tlie  mourners. 


SHADOW.  277 

and  took  their  leave.  Other  visits  of  condolence  filled 
U])  the  day. 

One  of  these  was  made  by  Doiia  Coloma,  in  the 
evenmg.  Left  at  home,  alone,  I  turned  to  the  piano  for 
amusement.  Very  soon,  Francisca  appeared,  with  an 
extremely  troubled  face.  Being  asked  the  cause  tlicreof, 
she  found  courage  to  inform  me,  with  many  excuses  and 
much  begging  of  pardon,  that  Dona  Coloma  would  be 
greatly  distressed  to  have  the  sound  of  a  piano  heard 
in  the  house,  so  soon  after  the  funeral  of  an  acquain- 
tance. Of  course,  I  closed  the  instrument  at  once,  and 
thus  it  remained  until  the  following  Sunday,  when  Dolo- 
rita  broke  the  sj^ell  of  silence  by  a  spirited  waltz. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say,  after  this,  that  the 
customs  of  mourning  are  very  strict.  Black  garments 
are  scrupulously  worn,  society  is  eschewed,  and  the 
windows  of  the  bereaved  house,  opening  on  the  street, 
are  kept  closed — or  partially  so,  at  least — for  six  months. 


CHAPTER  XXVIIL 


•WAITING  IN  HAVANA. 


r  1 1HTJS  far,  my  story's  movement  has  been  j^rogressive, 
now  it  takes  a  backward  curve.  And  there  is  a 
certain  sadness  always  inseparable  from  return.  On- 
ward— ever  onward — is  the  rule  of  life,  and  to  turn  back 
on  the  old  paths  to  the  old  places  and  the  old  pursuits, 
seems,  at  the  first  glance,  to  involve  some  corresponding 
mward  retrogradation.  Not  till  the  return  is  consum- 
mated do  we  learn  (and  sadly  still !)  that  the  soul  never 
goes  back  to  the  old  standpoint,  nor  the  mind  to  the 
cast-off  habit  of  thought.  Nor  are  the  places  and  the 
faces  to  which  we  recur  ever  quite  the  same.  Time  has 
carried  them  along  also ;  and  so  we  come  to  understand, 
finally,  that  whichever  way  our  footsteps  turn,  accord- 
ing to  human  vision  and  nomenclature,  we  are  ever 
going  forward.     Life  has  no  absolute  retrograde. 

I  did  not  know  how  many  rootlets  I  had  sent  down 
into  the  kindly  soil  of  Matanzas,  till  the  time  of  leave- 
taking  came.  Although  its  name  is  of  dismal  import 
enough — meaning  literally  "The  place  of  slaughter," 
and  earned  honestly  by  a  wholesale  massacre  of  the  crew 
of  a  Spanish  shij)  by  the  Indians,  in  the  time  of  Diego 
Velasquez — it  had  been  a  place  of  renewing  of  life  to 


WAITING   IN  HAVANA.  279 

me.  And  I  luid  gratefully  learned  it  by  heart.  Few  of 
its  inhabitants,  I  fancied,  knew  more  of  its  ins  and  outs 
than  I  did.  Day  after  day  I  had  traversed  its  narrow 
streets,  its  bay-kissed  paseo,  its  flower-embroidered 
X>laza ;  and,  evening  after  evening,  I  had  watched  the 
twilight-gray  creep  up  the  Cumbre,  and  the  stars  smile 
down  into  the  clear  depths  of  the  rivers  San  Juan  and 
Yumuri.  I  was  familiar  with  the  gay  little  shoj^s  and 
queer  old  houses  of  Versailles,  and  the  narrow  crowded 
life  and  shabby,  evil-odored  dwellings  of  Puebla  Nueva. 
I  had  had  nothing  to  do  with  its  work-a-day  life,  and 
little  enough  with  its  social  one  ;  my  business  and  pleas- 
ure had  been  chiefly  to  observe ;  and  I  had  done  that 
so  thoroughly  co7i  amore,  that  the  things  upon  which  I 
had  looked  so  long  seemed  to  have  become  a  j^art  of  me, 
and  separation  was  difficult  and  painful.  Some  of  the  roots 
came  up  slowly,  with  the  earth  still  clinging  to  them; 
others  broke  ofi*  short,  \ni\\  a  wrench  ;  a  few  refused  to 
do  either,  and  subjected  their  tough  and  elastic  fibre  to 
the  strain  of  a  voyage  over  the  sea,  and  the  long  tension, 
and  possible  attenuation  and  decay,  of  a  term  of  slow- 
rolling  years.  Nevertheless,  I  realized  that  this  inde- 
structible tendency  of  the  human  heart  to  send  forth 
roots  and  tendrils,  wherever  it  is  transplanted,  is  a 
comfortable  endowment.  For  Life  separates  friends 
and  exiles  patriots.  And  w^hat  were  the  stress  of  home- 
sickness, if  the  affections  had  no  inalienable  faculty  of 
continuous  reproduction  and  growth  ! 

We  left  Matanzas  at  ten  o'clock,  A.ii.      We  have  it 
on  the  authority  of  Rob  Roy  McGregor  that  no  wise 


280  MY   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

man  returns  by  the  same  road  lie  came,  provided  another 
be  open  to  him ;  and  although  we  have  not  the  same 
excellent  reasons  for  preferring  a  different  route  as  the 
Scotch  freebooter  (who  doubtless  found  inconvenient 
reckonings  to  settle  on  any  twice-trod  path),  there  is  a 
deep  philosophy  in  his  maxim  to  which  we  are  not 
insensible.  So  we  take  the  nearer  and  shorter  route  to 
Havana,  by  Regla.  The  road  is  not  so  picturesque  as 
the  other,  nor  yet  wholly  devoid  of  interest.  Every- 
where there  is  a  wide,  imwavering  level  of  flower-paven 
valley,  or  silent,  sun-parched  plain,  sti:etching  away  to  a 
rugged  outline  of  distant  hills,  on  which  the  blue  arch 
of  the  sky  rests  tremulously.  And  such  a  blue !  the 
delicate  depths  of  which  seem  evermore  opening  before 
our  fascinated  gaze,  until  we  are  ready  to  believe  that, 
if  we  could  only  look  long  enough,  and  purely  enough, 
we  might  behold  the  jasper  foundations  and  pearly 
gates  of  the  heavenly  city. 

The  railroad  was  as  straight  as  a  bird's  homeward 
flight,  involving  no  triumphs  of  engineering  skill  in  its 
construction.  Looking  from  the  rear  car,  we  saw  tAVO 
lines  of  rail  run  back,  perfectly  straight  and  level,  for 
miles,  until  they  met  in  the  distant  vanishing  point  of 
the  perspective.  Only  once  did  we  pass  through  any 
considerable  cutting;  but  that  keeps  fast  hold  of  my 
memory  in  virtue  of  the  profusion  of  delicate  ferns  that 
clung  to  every  nook  and  cleft  of  its  rough  sides, — the 
loveliest,  I  thought,  in  the  fleeting  glimpse  I  had  of 
them,  that  I  had  ever  seen.  And  since  it  was  imjjossible 
to  subject  them  to  the  disenchantment  of  actual  touch 


WAITIXG   ly^  IIAVAXA.  281 

and  inspection,  they  are  still  preserved  in  tlie  intangible 
and  ineffaceable  beauty  of  a  passing,  poetic  vision. 

Regla,  the  terminus  of  the  railway,  is  a  quaint,  slov- 
enly suburb  of  Havana,  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the 
harbor.  Passing  through  it,  we  saw  a  swift  panorama 
of  ill-paven  streets,  and  shabby,  old  houses,  with  a 
picturesque  chronology  of  stain  and  pgtch  on  their  stuc- 
coed walls ;  and  through  their  open  doorways  we  caught 
glimpses  of  half-naked  children  rolling  on  the  stone  floors, 
gambolling  and  quarrelling,  and  of  untidy  mothers, 
lolling  in  rocking-chairs.  Its  chief  objects  of  interest 
are  found  on  the  water-front, — certain  immense  ware- 
houses of  stone  and  iron,  for  the  storage  of  sugar, 
molasses,  cofiee,  etc.  They  are  built  in  a  continuous 
range,  fifty-eight  in  number,  with  a  depth  of  over  three 
hundred  feet.  A  statue  of  their  designer,  an  enterprising 
Cuban,  Don  Eduardo  Fesser  by  name,  is  one  of  the 
chief  ornaments  of  the  place. 

Yfe  crossed  from  Regla  to  Havana  by  a  steam  ferry. 
On  the  landing  we  were  beset  by  a  band  of  brigands 
(commonly  termed  "  hackmen "),  one  of  whom  suc- 
ceeded in  forcing  us  into  a  nondescript  vehicle,  yclept  a 
"  victoria,"  tumbled  my  trunks  upon  the  box,  climbed 
atop  of  them,  and  rattled  off  at  a  reckless  rate  to  a 
building  that  looked  like  a  stronghold  of  the  Middle 
Ages,  but  was  really  the  "  Hotel  Santa  Ysabel,"  once  the 
residence  of  a  Spanish  nobleman.  The  street-front  was 
penetrated  by  a  heavy  archway,  leading  to  a  central 
court.  It  was  impossible  not  to  notice  the  thickness  of 
the  walls,  and  the  care  taken  to  render  the  j^lace  inac- 


282  MY   WINTER   IX  CUBA. 

cessible  from  the  street.  The  stout  fohliug  doors  at  the 
entrance  looked  fitter  for  a  fortress  than  a  peaceable 
dwelling,  and  the  Avindows  were  defended  by  thick  iron 
bars. 

The  court  had  been  roofed  over  and  made  to  serve 
as  a  public  dining-room.  It  was  filled  with  small  tables, 
and  in  its  centre  was  a  j^retty  piece  ^f  rock- work,  with 
ferns  and  flowers  growing  out  of  it,  and  jets  of  water 
falling  into  a  basin,  where  I  caught  the  glancing  gleams 
of  gold-fish.  The  rooms  on  the  ground-floor,  opening 
on  the  court,  were  used  for  storerooms  and  ofiices.  On 
the  right  of  the  entrance,  a  broad  stone  staircase  led  to 
the  second  floor.  A  large  parlor  extended  across  the 
front,  with  a  balcony  overhanging  the  street.  A  gallery 
ran  around  the  court,  U2:>on  which  the  sleeping-rooms 
oj^ened.  These  were  originally  spacious,  but  had  each 
been  divided,  to  suit  hotel  jmrposes,  into  four  small 
rooms,  by  partitions  eight  or  nine  feet  high ;  so  that  the 
occupants  of  contiguous  rooms  could  not  avoid  hearing 
each  other's  movements  and  conversation.  It  mattered 
little  now,  however,  as  the  hotel  was  well-nigh  deserted. 
Yellow  fever  had  aj^peared  in  the  city  two  weeks  before, 
and  was  followed  by  the  usual  stampede  of  foreigners. 

No  bells,  but,  in  lieu  thereof,  the  privilege  of  leaning 
over  the  gallery  rails  and  shouting,  "  Criado ! "  "  rau- 
chacho  ! "  or  anything  you  like,  until  somebody  comes. 
Doing  this,  I  evoke  from  the  depth  below  a  certain  idiotic 
negro,  who  tells  me  he  is  called  "  Pablo,"  but  whom  I 
shall  denominate  "  Stupido,"  out  of  respect  to  the  Apos- 
tle to  the  Gentiles,  and  a  preference  for  giving  things 


WAITING   IX  IIAVAXA.  283 

their  right  names.  I  explain  to  liiin,  witli  great  circum- 
stantiality, to  jn-event  mistakes,  that  I  want  my  small 
trunk  brought  immediately  to  my  room,  and  the  large 
one  stored  until  my  departure.  After  a  long  interval 
there  is  great  confusion  and  turmoil  in  the  gallery,— a 
sound  of  thumping,  and  scratching,  and  scraping,  that 

seems  to  threaten  the  speedy  demolition  of  somethino-, 

and  looking  out,  I  discover  my  ark  of  a  travelling  trunk 
slowly  approaching  on  Stupido's  head;  albeit  doing  its 
best  to  meet  its  owner's  wishes  by  thrusting  a  corner  into 
every  doorway,  and  catching  on  every  projection.  I  con- 
front the  bearer  and  reiterate  my  directions.  Tlie  trunk 
retrogrades ;  but  in  course  of  time  I  hear  it  advancing- 
up  the  opposite  gallery,  in  the  same  unwilling  manner. 
I  bar  the  passage,  and  request  to  know  what  is  to  be 
done  with  it  now.  Stupido  opines  that  if  the  sefiora 
does  not  want  it,  the  senor  must,  and  is  taking  it  to 
Juan's  room.  "  Put  it  in  the  baggage  room,"  I  repeat. 
"But,  seilora^  there  is  no  baggage  room."  "Put  it 
where  you  like  then,"  I  exclaim,  in  a  rage,  "  but  do  not 
let  me  see  it  above  stairs  again,  or  you'll  not  get  so 
much  as  a  media  for  your  trouble."  The  trunk  wheels 
about,  and  recedes.  Ten  minutes  later,  Stupido  brings 
me  an  unknown  valise.  I  remand  that,  and  the  right 
thing  comes  at  last,— chiefly,  I  suspect,  because  there  is 
nothing  else  to  bring. 

On  the  broad  landing,  at  the  head  of  the  grand  stair- 
Case,  a  Spanish  Don  is  reading  the  "  Diario,"  with  that 
air  of  owning,  not  only  the  hotel  and  the  city,  but  the 
whole  island,  and  a  considerable  part  of  the  universe 


284  3fr   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

besides,  which  is  characteristic  of  most  of  tlie  ''^penin- 
sidanos^^  (natives  of  Old  Spain)  in  Cuba.  His  wife  is  in 
the  parlor, — "fat  and  forty,"  certainly, — ^but  not  the 
most  inveterately  idealistic  mind  could  think  her  "fair." 
Her  son  Pepito,  a  little  man  of  four  or  five  years  of  age, 
and  of  251'eternatural  grimness  and  gravity  of  asj)ect, 
prowls  about  with  one  corner  of  his  small  "ca/:)a" 
thrown  over  his  shoulder,  after  the  manner  of  the  tradi- 
tional stage-bandit,  and  with  the  air  of  being  continually 
on  the  watch  for  a  foe.  These,  and  a  half-dozen  com- 
mercial agents,  make  np  the  sum  total  of  the  hotel's 
guests. 

The  Doiia  intermits  her  contemplation  of  the  oppo- 
site wall,  on  my  entrance,  and  enters  languidly  into 
conversation.  She  thinks  the  Americans  a  charminof 
people,  but  confesses  that  the  spectacle  of  their  activity 
and  energy  is  almost  too  much  for  her  nerves.  She 
reports  the  hotel  intolerably  dull,  and  emphasizes  the 
statement  with  a  yawn.  She  complains  that  Stupido  is 
seldom  in  the  way  of  her  orders,  and  systematically 
misunderstands  them,  when  he  is.  Finally,  she  discovers 
that  Pepito  has  slipped  out,  and  is  moved  to  utter  a 
Jeremiade  on  his  account.  "That  child,"  she  says 
dolefully,  "  has  the  most  incredible  faculty  for  getting 
into  mischief;,  he  keeps  my  nerves  continually  on  the 
stretch.  If  you  should  encounter  him  on  your  way,  will 
you  do  me  the  inestimable  favor  to  send  him  back  ?  " 

At  the  farther  end  of  the  gallery  a  bedroom  door  is 
suddenly  flung  open,  Pepito  is  somehow  ejected,  a  mo- 
mentary vision  of  a  wrathful  hand  and  boot  appears  on 


WAITmO   IN  HAVANA.  285 

the  thrcsliolcl,  and  tlic  door  closes  with  a  hang.  Seeing 
me  on  the  scene,  Pepito  heroically  resists  his  inclination 
to  cry,  picks  himself  up,  folds  his  ccqxt  majestically 
around  him,  and  makes  a  dignified  retreat.  Soon  after, 
a  smothered  sound  of  sobs  and  cries  attests  that  he  lias 
found  his  mother's  bosom,  and  given  a  natural  vent  to 
his  Avounded  feelings. 

There  was  as  yet  no  sign  of  the  American  steamer 
which  was  to  bear  me  and  my  fortunes  from  Cuba,  nor 
for  the  two  following  days ;  meanwhile,  we  killed  time 
by  visiting  such  places  of  interest  as  we  had  not  seen 
before,  or  desired  to  see  again.  The  weather  was  fear- 
fully hot ;  nevertheless,  we  sturdily  adventured  through 
the  close  streets  and  fervid  sunshine,  in  the  face  of  much 
good-natured  remonstrance  from  people  who  believe 
that  all  Americans  who  put  foot  out  of  doors  before 
four  o'clock,  at  this  season,  deliberately  offer  themselves 
as  candidates  for  the  yellow  fever.  We  spent  hours 
among  the  exuberant  verdure  and  brilliant  bloom  of  the 
Botanic  Garden, — steadily  declining,  however,  to  make 
any  acquaintance  vdth  the  stiff,  unwieldly  Latin  names, 
whereby  the  gar.dener  would  have  introduced  them  to 
us, — and  noting  how  difficult  it  is  to  keep  troj^ical  nature 
pruned  and  trimmed  to  any  semblance  of  order.  AYe 
painfully  toiled  up  the  winding  stair  of  the  CathedraPs 
bell-tower,  and  decij^hered  the  dates  and  legends  of  the 
bells;  one  of  which  is  hundreds  of  years  old,  and  as 
divinely  sweet  of  tone  as  if  it  had  continually  fed  and 
ripened  on  the  echoes  of  its  own  melody.  "We  invaded 
the  quarters  of  the  bell-ringer,  opening  on  the  leads,  and 


286  3rT   WINTER   IX  CUBA. 

with  a  magnificent  outlook  over  city  and  "bay — a  delight- 
ful sancticm  for  a  bookish  man  or  woman, — and  found  that 
personage  employing  his  leisure,  and  eking  out  his  in- 
come, with  the  manufacture  of  cigars.  We  descried  the 
mural  tablet  at  the  corner  of  the  "  Calle  del  Obispo,''^ 
and  learned  that,  just  one  hundred  years  ago,  Doiia 
Maria  CejDcro,  daughter  of  the  then  Governor,  was  killed 
by  the  accidental  discharge  of  a  gun,  while  kneeling  at 
her  devotions  near  this  spot, — a  record  from  Avhicli  the 
lapse  of  a  century  had  stolen  all  the  sadness,  and  made 
it  read  like  a  song  of  triumph.  We  stormed  the  Morro 
with  the  magic  words  "An  American  lady  who  desires 
to  see  the  interior,"  were  admitted  without  the  required 
official  permit,  and  introduced  to  a  dozen  huge  guns, 
collectively  known  as  the  "  Twelve  Apostles,"  and  indi- 
vidually as  "  San  Mateo,^^  "  JSan  Marcos^^  "  San  Lucas^'' 
etc. ;  also  to  much  solid,  Cyclopean  masonry ;  also  to 
the  view  of  city,  shijDping,  and  ocean,  from  the  para- 
pet ;  also  to  the  quarters  of  the  garrison,  cool  as  a  cave 
(and  almost  as  dark),  by  reason  of  the  thickness  of 
the  walls ;  also  to  "  The  Lantern,"  a  little  room  where 
the  signals,  flags,  telescopes,  etc.,  are  kept,  and  just 
above  which  is  the  beacon,  visible  forty  miles  at  sea. 
Here,  an  official  in  shoulder  straps,  with  a  cigar  in  his 
mouth,  graciously  exhibited  what  little  there  Avas  to  be 
seen;  but  his  eyes  nearly  jumped  out  of  his  head  when 
he  saw  me  take  out  my  note-book.  "Do  you  know 
what  you  are  doing?"  said  he.  "All  writing  and 
sketching  are  strictly  forbidden  in  and  about  the  Morro, 
on  pain  of  fine  and  imprisonment."     Finally,  we  climbed 


WAITIXa    IX  JfAVAXA.  287 

the  long  slope  to  the  Cabana  fortress,  where  we  saw 
more  masonry,  more  guns,  more  soldiers,  and  more  views. 
This  is  the  great  stronghold  of  the  island,  and  is  said  to 
be  one  of  the  finest  fortifications  in  the  world.  Tlie  ofli- 
cer  of  the  guard  obligingly  furnislied  us  with  an  intelli- 
gent guide,  who  showed  us  through  quarters,  barracks, 
storehouses,  casemates,  and  water-batteries,  made  us  note 
the  exceeding  thickness  of  the  walls,  pointed  out  the  many 
fine  views  from  the  parapets,  informed  us  that  tlie  fortifi- 
cation was  completed  in  1771,  at  a  cost  of  forty  millions, — • 
in  those  days  an  incredible  sum, — and  related  an  anec- 
dote in  point.  Charles  III.,  being  then  king  of  Spain, 
no  sooner  received  the  report  of  this  enormous  expendi- 
ture, than  he  seized  a  spy-glass,  and  began  to  scan  the 
western  horizon.  "May  I  ask  what  your  Majesty  is 
looking  for  ?  "  inquired  his  wondering  minister.  "  For 
the  Cahanas^^''  quietly  replied  the  monarch ; — "  if  it  cost 
as  much  as  that,  it  ought  to  be  large  enough  to  be  seen 
at  any  distance." 

Then  we  proceeded  to  the  "  Universidad  de  Belen^'* 
formerly  a  Franciscan  monastery,  but  since  1854  the 
Royal  College  of  Havana,  under  the  direction  of  the 
"Society  of  Jesus."  It  is  a  fine  group  of  Iniildings,  in 
the  form  of  a  hollow  square,  built  of  tawny  yellow 
stone.  The  inmates  consist  of  a  rector,  sixty  or  seventy 
clerical  and  lay  brethren,  and  above  three  hundred 
pupils.  The  entire  labor  of  the  institution  is  performed 
by  the  brethren, — from  the  celebration  of  a  mass  in  the 
chapel  and  the  giving  of  instruction  in  the  scientific 
and  classic  departments,  down  to  the  cooking  of  food 


288  Jir   WINTER   IX  CUBA. 

and  the  sweeping  of  corridors.  One  of  them  acted  as 
guide.  He  Avas  a  dark,  slight,  low-voiced  man,  speaking 
English  fluently,  with  an  aspect  of  gentle  scholarliness, 
and  refined,  courteous  manners.  His  head  was  shaven, 
and  fringed  Avitli  short,  black  hair,  and  he  w^as  habited 
in  the  dress  of  tlie  order, — a  long  cassock  of  coarse 
black  clotli,  with  a  cape,  buttoned  close  to  the  throat, 
and  not  a  line  of  white  about  it  anywhere; — all  of 
which  produced  a  singularly  illusive  and  spectral  effect, 
making  me  feel,  while  conversing  with  him,  that  I  was 
talking  across  a  gulf  not  less  wide  than  the  one  which 
divides  our  age  from  that  of  Ignatius  Loyola. 

First,  he  showed  us  the  Cabinet  of  Xatural  History, 
containing  collections  of  minerals,  shells,  fossils,  birds, 
insects,  native  woods,  coins,  etc.,  etc. ;  apologizing — ■ 
very  unnecessarily — for  their  incompleteness,  on  the 
score  of  their  comparative  youth.  For  there  was  much 
more  of  them  than  my  receptivity  could  take  in  and 
assimilate,  in  the  short  examination  we  gave  them ;  and 
t  felt  so  fearfully  overgorged  at  the  end,  as  to  excite  a 
profound  pity  for  visitors  to  the  cabinets  and  museums 
of  the  twentieth  century.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the 
working  of  the  inevitable  law  of  decay  may  clear  out 
some  of  the  rubbish,  even  from  these  cherished  accumu- 
lations, and  so  lighten  their  labor!  Then  he  led  us 
solemnly  through  the  library,  the  books  being  all  under 
lock  and  key, — a  discreet  measure,  I  concluded,  to  pre- 
vent the  minds  of  the  younger  brethren  from  going 
astray  among  such  profane  authors  as  Yoltaire,  Rous- 
Beau,  Boccacio,  and  Byron,  whose  names  I  saw  on  the 


VTAITIXG   IX  JIAVAXA.  289 


im23nsoned  volumes.  Kext,  avc  inspected  the  labora- 
tory, the  observatory,  and  the  philosophic  apparatus; 
and  our  guide  lingered  over  tlie  exhibition  of  a  line 
telescope  with  a  kind  of  fatherly  tenderness,  indicative 
of  great  familiarity  Avith  its  use.  So  I  said  to  him,  out 
of  pure  mischief,  desiring  to  see  if  the  settled  gravity  of 
his  face  was  altogether  imperturbable, — "  I  forget,  just 
now,  whether  the  Jesuits  had  anything  to  do  with  tlie 
sentence  and  imprisonment  of  Galileo  ?  " 

"  My  memory  is  much  too  modest  to  presume  to  prompt 
yours,"  he  answered,  with  a  keen  glance,  an  amused 
quiver  of  the  corners  of  the  mouth,  and  a  bow  so  much 
better  suited  to  the  court  of  Louis  Fourteenth  tlian  to 
the  bare  scientific  sanctum  of  a  Jesuit  College,  that  it 
silenced  me  forthwith. 

Then  we  examined  the  dormitories, — a  vast  and  lofty 
hall,  divided  by  low  partitions  into  spaces  just  large 
enough  to  admit  an  iron  bedstead,  a  chair,  and  a  table. 
The  .iiole  place  might  have  been  the  headquarters  of 
tlij  fairy  Order  for  neatness  and  regularity;  but  there 
was  also  a  bareness  and  rigidity  about  it  which  spoke 
powerfully  of  the  severity  and  asceticism  of  a  monastic 
institution.  Finally,  we  saw  the  chapel.  It  is  not  large, 
has  an  open  floor  of  marble,  a  gallery,  a  small  organ,  a 
high  altar  of  colored  marbles,  decorated  with  flowers, 
images,  crosses,  and  relics,  and  a  smaller  altar  in  the 
sacristy  beliind,  where  an  undying  lamp  burns  before 
the  place  where  the  Host  is  kept.  In  the  vestry,  we  were 
shown  some  gorgeous  priestly  vestments,  adorned  with 
jewels.  The  lace  on  one  of  these  is  said  to  have  cost  three 
13 


290  3ir   WINTER   IN  CUBA. 

tliousaud  dollars,  and  was  the  gift  of  a  Spaiiisii  lady  of 
rank. 

Toward  sunset,  we  drove  on  the  Faseo  de  Tacon^ 
and  found  the  same  stream  of  volmites  and  black  eyes 
and  gay  dresses  flowing  through  it,  that  was  described 
in  an  early  chapter.  At  least,  if  not  made  up  of  the 
same  individual  waves,  there  was  precisely  the  same 
general  form  of  flood.  The  spectacle  was  too  familiar  to 
have  any  potent  attraction  for  us,  so  we  extended"  our 
drive  beyond  it,  to  a  little  eminence  where  we  could 
look  out  upon  the  ocean,  over  a  sunset-reddened  plain, 
sprinkled  with  the  soft  glooms  and  columnar  trunks  of 
palm-trees.  Forgive  me  if  my  eyes  and  my  imagination 
linger  among  them.  For  the  palm  is  the  concrete  tropic, 
and  the  essence  of  the  Orient.  Over  it  the  sky  has  a  bluer 
depth  and  more  velvet  softness  than  elsewhere;  under 
it  waters  lapse  more  dreamily  musical.  All  the  sweet 
old  Bible  pictures  have  it  for  a  back-ground ;  and 
wherever  it  grows,  Cleopatra,  and  Memnon,  and  the 
Nile,  seem  not  afar  ofl".  Moreover,  it  is  the  symbol  of 
peace — that  gentle  gift  of  God  which,  when  we  have 
tried  love  and  joy,  and  found  them  wanting,  solaces  our 
aching  hearts,  and  leads  us  up  to  the  very  gate  of 
Heaven. 

Furthermore,  Humboldt,  whose  authority  is  final  in 
such  matters,  names  the  palm  the  "  crown  of  the  vege- 
table creation."  On  the  island  of  Cuba  alone,  there  are 
over  sixty  varieties ;  furnishing  fruit,  wine,  oil,  thatch, 
drinking-cups,  hats,  fans,  firewood,  and  fibre  for  coarse 
cloth  and  matting,  to  the  inhabitants  ;  and,  I  doubt  not, 


WAITTXCf    ly  JfAVAXA.  291 

a  Imndrcd  other  uses  lie  dormant  in  tlieir  stately  trunks 
and  graceful  boughs,  waiting  for  a  more  enterprising 
race  to  find  them  out. 

We  devoted  the  following  day  to  getting  an  idea  of 
the  suburbs  of  Havana.     Marinao  is  a  pretty,  airy  vil- 
lage, much  resorted  to  by  the  wealthy  Hahaneros,  during 
the  summer  months.     It  has  a  close-built  main  street, 
with  the  usual  variety  of  shops,  inns,  and  restaurants; 
it  has  several  pleasant,  bowery  lanes,  and  many  hand- 
some country  scats,  half-hidden  in  tropical  foliage  and 
flowers  ;  and  it  has  a  palmy  hill-top,  commanding  a  fine 
view  of  the  adjacent  country,  the  spires  of  Havana,  and 
the  blue  sea.     It  has  also  a  somewhat  dilapidated  min- 
eral spring,  around  which  we  found  a  nondescript  crowd 
of  water-carriers,  filling  small  casks  with  its  cool,  but 
not  overclear,  flow,  to  supply   their  customers   in   the 

village. 

Puentes  Grandes  is  about  halfway  between  Havana 
and  Marinao,  and,  though  considerably  smaller,  greatly 
resembles  the  latter  place  in  character. 

Guanabacoa,  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  bay,  is  one  of 
the  oldest  towns  on  the  island,  and  is  proportionably  solid, 
squalid,  and  antiquated.  Its  population  numbers  eight 
thousand,  it  has  a  cathedral  (so  called),  a  convent,  two 
markets,  ^  plaza,  and  a  queer  old  cemetery  and  churcli. 
Its  chief  attraction  is  found,  however,  in  the  mineral 
baths  of  Santa  Rita,  which  enjoy  a  high  reputation  for 
curative  power  in  various  nervous  and  bilious  disorders. 
The  buildings  are  of  stone,  with  tiled  floors  and  stone 
basins,  are  tolerably  well  arranged,  and  are  kept  in  good 


202  Mr   WINTER   IX  CUBA. 

order.  A  noticeable  feature,  to  a  foreigner,  is  the  num- 
ber  of  shrines,  appropriately  decorated  with  images  and 
flowers,  prepared  for  the  devotions  and  oiferings  of  the 
patients. 

In  all  these  towns,  and  particularly  in  ancient  Guana- 
bacoa,  I  saw  much  that  would  delight  the  soul  of  an 
artist,  —  quaint  balconied  windows,  —  odd,  lumbering 
doors, — ^bowed  and  crumbling  cornices,  lintels,  and 
door-posts, — a  great  deal  of  picturesque  dirt,  in  the  shape 
of  richly  embrowned  and  blackened  walls,  beautifully 
besmooched  roofs,  and  grimy  interiors, — also,  a  sparkling 
stream,  a  rustic  bridge,  a  winding,  shady  path, — and 
everywhere,  palms !  But  I  had  only  a  little  time  to  look 
at  these  things,  and  none  at  all  to  describe  them;  for 
which,  the  reader,  remembering  that  most  of  them  (or 
something  similar)  have  already  appeared  in  these  pages, 
will  not  forget  to  be  grateful. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

DEPARTURE. 

Tj^ARLY  the  next  morning,  the  arrival  of  the  Amer- 
ican steamer  was  rei^orted ;  and  indubitable  evi- 
dence thereof  was  to  be  found  in  the  parlor,  in  tlie 
persons  of  two  lively  ladies  in  round  hats  and  short 
dresses,  and  with  a  general  air  of  capability  and  self- 
reliance  that  has  no  place  among  the  belongings  of  a 
Cuhanera.  My  heart  warmed  to  the  sight, — I  had  not 
Been  a  countrywoman's  face  for  months, — straightway  I 
went  and  introduced  myself  to  them.  I  was  received 
most  kindly,  and  we  w^ere  presently  in  possession  of 
such  facts,  relative  to  each  other's  history  and  destina- 
tion, as  were  necessary  to  a  good  understanding  and 
pleasant  intercourse.  My  countrywomen  were  on  their 
way  to  New  Orleans,  and  had  taken  advantage  of  tlie 
steamer's  touching  at  Havana  to  snatch  a  glimpse  of  a 
foreign  country  and  foreign  ways.  Already  they  had 
explored  half  the  city,  on  foot  and  unattended,  and  liad 
accomplished  a  wonderful  amount  of  shopping.  "  How 
ever  did  you  manage  it,"  I  asked,  seeing  that  Spanish 
was  an  unknown  tongue  to  them. 

"  We  pointed  to  the  goods  that  we  wanted,"  re2)licd 
on«,  "and  held  out  our  purses  to  the  shopman.     He 


294  3rV   WINTER   IN  "CUBA. 

counted  out  the  price  if  it  was  too  much,  we  shook  our 
heads,  and  took  back  our  money.  If  it  was  reasonable, 
we  nodded,  and  he  kept  the  money  and  wrapj^ed  up  the 
goods." 

Strange  to  say,  they  had  not  been  cheated;  but 
whether  it  was  due  to  their  own  sharjDness,  or  to  the 
shoj^keeper's  jnty  for  their  apparent  helplessness,  is  more 
tlian  I  can  tell.  In  the  streets,  they  had  met  w4th  less 
consideration.  "I  have  heard  a  deal  about  Spanish 
courtesy,  but  I  believe  it  is  all  a  fable,"  said  one  of  them, 
indignantly.  "  The  men  and  boys  stared,  and  ran  after 
us ;  and  some  of  them  shouted  things  which,  I  suspect, 
w^e  may  be  glad  that  we  could  not  understand."  They 
were  amazed  to  learn  that  their  simple  and  natural 
proceeding  had  grievously  outraged  Cuban  notions  of 
jDropriety. 

At  three  o'clock,  the  interpreter  of  the  hotel  escorted 
us  to  the  steamer.  One  victoria  accommodated  us  and 
liim,  and  another  preceded  us  with  the  trunks.  Once,  the 
latter  vehicle  got  considerably  in  advance,  whereupon 
our  own  driver  was  sharply  bidden  to  "  catch  up ; "  and 
as  soon  as  we  were  within  hailing  distance,  the  interpreter 
hurled  at  his  colleague  an  oath,  an  injunction  to  keep  in 
sight,  and  a  threat, — a  pregnant  commentary  on  the 
honesty  of  his  class.  This  personage  also  procured  the 
"  permits  to  leave," — certain  bits  of  printed  paper  where- 
by the  government  makes  a  final  four  dollars  out  of 
foreigners.  Looking  at  mine,  I  was  amused  to  see, 
among  other  provisions,  that  a  traveller  who  brings  his 
wife  hither,  is  not  j^ermitted  to  leave  without  her,  unless 


DEPARTUllE.  295 

he  j^resents  her  written  consent  at  the  Passport  Bureau. 
It  must  be  conceded  that  despotism  has  its  good  side. 

We  find  the  deck  of  the  "  Cuba  "  piled  with  crates  of 
oranges,  and  every  empty  state-room  and  corner  stufled 
with  bananas,  now  green,  but  expected  to  make  some 
advance  in  maturity  ere  we  make  our  port.  Fruit- 
boats  surround  the  steamer,  from  which  the  passengers 
lay  in  riper  stores  for  their  own  use,  during  the  voyage. 
A  forest  of  masts  is  about  us,  with  flags  of  every  nation 
flying;  and  one  Spanish  man-of-war,  long,  black,  and 
villainous-looking,  is  moored  just  beyond  us.  The  west- 
ern sky  is  radiant;  on  one  side,  a  shimmer  of  sunset 
gold  is  on  the  water,  on  the  other,  a  line  of  silver  from 
the  rising  moon.  The  last  trunk  is  lifted  on  board,  the 
revenue  oflicer  departs,  the  anchor  is  up,  and  the  vessel 
moves.  Slowly  we  leave  the  fair  city  behind;  more 
swiftly  we  pass  the  Cabana,  the  Morro,  and  the  Punta 
fortresses,  and  slide  out  upon  the  open  sea,  followed  by 
the  sound  of  the  evenmg  drum-beat  from  their  walls. 
Behind  us,  is  a  wavy,  hazy  outline  of  green  and  gold ; 
before,  the  wide  expanse  of  the  heaving  ocean.  On  a 
neck  of  land,  a  tall  palm  comes  out  to  look  at  us,  and 
bends  its  plumy  crest  as  with  a  last  adieu.  Farewell, 
tree  beautiful  and  beloved!  Farewell!  sweet  "Island 
of  Flowers ! "  Farewell,  dear,  hospitable,  indolent, 
kindly,  courteous  people ! 

And  now,  O,  Home-Faces !  vessel  and  heart  beat 
steadily  toward  you ! 


Go  to  Cuba,  friends  and  readers  mine,  all  of  you  wlio 


296  3£Y   WINTER  IK  CUBA. 

can.  There  are  only  four  days — five,  at  most — between 
you  and  its  greenness,  its  goldenness,  its  grace,  and  its 
grotesqueness.  A  much  longer  journey  would  not  take 
you  into  a  land  richer  in  all  that  is  contained  in  that 
pregnant  wovdi— foreign.  If  you  go  to  England,  you 
find  a  country  teeming  with  historic  interest,  and  full  of 
a  gentle  picturesqueness,  it  is  true;  but  far  from  un- 
homelike  in  its  English  tongue  and  ways,  and  whereof 
the  scenes  and  images  have  been  familiar,  through  study 
or  by  report,  from  childhood.  But  in  Cuba,  language, 
architecture,  landscape,  flora,  manners, — all  are  new, 
strange,  and  suggestive.  Life  becomes  continuous  pic- 
ture and  poem,  through  which  you  drift  so  inevitably 
into  dreamland,  as  to  make  it  forever  after  uncertain 
how  much  of  what  you  beheld  was  of  the  actual  earth, 
how  much  of  the  domain  of  imagination.  Especially  is 
this  the  case  in  some  of  the  old  eastern  and  southern 
towns,  where  the  Andalusian  (and  through  them  the 
Moorish)  traits  have  been  less  exposed  to  the  modifying 
influence  of  the  stream  of  foreign  travel.  Linger  not  too 
long  in  Havana,  therefore  •  better  things — that  is  to  say, 
things  less  modish  and  more  picturesque — are  to  be  had, 
for  the  seeking.  Keither  hurry  from  flower  to  flower,  as 
if  there  were  never  more  a  to-morrow,  but  sit  down  quietly 
by  each,  and  slowly  extract  its  sweetness  and  its  meaning. 
So  shall  Cuba  be  to  you  a  thing  of  l)cauty,  in  the  pos- 
session, and  in  the  remembrance,  a  joy  forevermore. 

THE    END. 


B^2-     THE     S.A.1S^B     -A.TJTHOH. 

SHILOI-I ; 

OR, 

WITHOUT  AND  WITHIN. 

By  W.  M.  L.  jay. 

Fourtli  Thousand,  l'2mo,  4SS  pages,  $2.00. 

A  Stori  of  Common  Life;  beautifully  writtfn,  %vith  quiet  Pictures  of  New  England 
Farm  and  Purisli  Life. 

"  Its  value  as  a  work  of  fiction  has  been  abundantly  established  The  strugcle  of 
good  and  evil  in  us  is  skillfully  drawn.  It  is  one  of  tlie  few  fictions  in  wliiuh  the 
love-story  portion  is  quite  unnecessary  for  the  majority  of  readers."  —  Church  Jour- 
nal. 

*'  No  praise  of  ours  can  add  to  the  reputation  it  has  already  acquired.  It  is  de- 
lightful to  get  hold  of  a  good,  bright,  thorough  Church  story,  such  as  this,  after 
the  dreary  trash  we  are  called  upon  to  wade  through.  It  is  a  permanent  addition 
to  our  Church  literature,  and  should  be  in  every  parish  library."  —  Pacific  Church- 
man. 

"  It  is  a  sweet,  simple  story  of  New  England  country  life,  showing  what  one  ear- 
nest worker  for  Christ  and  His  Church  can  do  to  build  up  the  waste  places,  and  kindle 
into  a  flame  the  smouldering  fires  of  devotion  and  work.  A  city  girl,  from  consider- 
ations of  health,  chooses  to  spend  her  summer  at  Shiloh,  a  country  village,  rather 
than  at  Saratoga,  the  fiishionable  watering-place  ;  and  this  is  the  history  of  her  life, 
as  written  to  her  distant  friend.  The  story  is  well  told  ;  the  characters  are  well  de- 
lineated ;  the  pathetic  and  the  humorous  are  skillfully  blended  ;  and  we  have  both 
laughed  and  wept  in  reading  it.  We  look  forward  with  great  pleasure  to  the  future 
products  of  the  author's  pen,  and  are  very  sure  that  her  place  will  be  an  exalted 
one  among  the  writers  of  our  time."  —  Maryland  Church  Record. 

"  '  Shiloh '  I  like  more  than  ever,  and  I  greatly  rejoice  to  see  it  in  a  permanent 
form.  It  is  an  achievement  —  a  real  one  —  to  write  to  the  times  and  to  write  as  one 
should  ;  to  write  a  story  (so  to  speak),  and  keep  up  interest  without  cheap  sensation  ; 
to  write  I'eligious  fiction,  and  yet  to  avoid  platitudes  ;  and  all  this  you  have  done, 
and  I  congratulate  you.  Now  give  us  what  Oliver  Twist  asked  for  —  more.^'  — 
Bishop  Williams,  of  Conn. 

"  I  greatly  like  the  atmospheric  infusion,  instead  of  the  disconnected  intrusion, 
of  the  religious  element,  and  the  influence  of  the. Church.  There  are  parts  of  it  I 
should  like  to  preach,  and  the  whole  book  is  far  beyond  any  story  yet  written  of,  or 
in,  the  American  Church."  — Bishop  Doane,  of  Albany. 

"  '  Shiloh '  is  a  twofold  success.  The  contention  between  Bona  and  Mala  con- 
stantly evokes  valuable  truths  which  strike  us  in  a  quite  original  light,  and  the 
social  and  natural  features  of  rural  life  in  New  England  have  rarely  been  more  pleas- 
ingly presented.  The  style  is  really  charming,  and  pays  the  reader  the  compliment 
of  care  in  the  choice  of  epithets  and  the  arrangement  of  the  thoughts.  Like  a  well- 
bred  man,  the  author  comes  into  the  reader's  presence  in  his  best  apparel."  —  Ntw 
York  Evening  Post. 

"  This  is  a  book  of  decided  merit.  It  is  well  written,  and  the  authoress  gives  evi- 
dence of  unusual  descriptive  powers But  '  Shiloh '  is  al.<o  de.signed,  we 

think,  to  make  apparent  that  no  duty  performed,  no  service  oEfered,  is  too  slight  to 
be  acceptable  to  God.  '  Whatever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with  thy  miirht ; ' 
or,  to  use  Mrs.  Jay's  words,  'The  sterling  usefulness  of  doing  quiet  duties  in  quiet 
ways,  unobtrusively  and  uncomplainingly,  is  one  which,  though  the  world  may  make 
little  account  of  it,  God  will  surely  bless  and  abundantly  reward.'"  —  New  York 
Herald. 

•'  '  Shiloh  '  is  a  novel  with  a  purpose,  and  that,  too,  of  the  most  exalted  kind.  Ik 
deals  in  a  spirit  at  once  earnest  and  sincere,  with  some  of  the  deepest  problems  that 
can  occupy  humanity,  touching  here  and  there,  with  a  lighter  hand,  upon  social 


SHILOH;     OR,    WITHOUT   AND    WITHIN. 

foibles  and  individual  eccentricities.  On  the  whole, '  Shiloh  '  may  be  characterized 
as  belonging  to  the  healthiest  ty))e  of  modern  fiction,  and,  though  possessing  no 
claims  to  striking  originality  in  design  or  execution,  as  exhibiting  a  freshness  of 
style  and  sentiment  that  will  commend  it  to  the  mass  of  reflective  readers."  —  Neio 
York  Times. 

«'  We  can  award  this  book  — what  is,  after  all,  our  highest  praise  —  a  place  among 
our  missionary  books."  —  New  York  Mail. 

"  The  scene  is  laid  in  a  remote  New  England  town,  and  the  fortunes  of  a  weak 
parish  are  described.  There  is  much  cleverness  in  drawing  a  variety  of  character, 
and  some  sharp  contrasts  are  presented  just  such  as  one  often  sees  around  him.  A 
quiet,  intelligent,  and  well-founded  religious  faith  influences  to  a  life  that  abounds 
in  good  works,  and  the  story  suggests  to  readers  how  they  may  go  and  do  likewise, 
and  benefit  those  that  are  around  us.  Even  in  the  sparsely  populated  country 
there  is  ample  field  for  domestic  missionary  work,  and  if  'Shiloh'  is  read  as  it 
should  be,  it  will  have  a  beneficial  influence  in  inciting  to  these  much-needed  la- 
bors."—  New  York  Com?nercial  Advertiser. 

"  It  has  decided  power  and  point  in  it,  and  we  design  to  make  some  large  extracts 
from  it,  to  give  our  readers  a  taste  of  its  merits."  —  Netv  York  Observer. 

"  Its  pictures  of  New  England  life  and  people  are  singularly  faithful.  Nothing 
could  well  be  more  affecting  than  the  story  of  Maggie  Warren's  death-bed.  The 
author  has  a  fine  artist-feeling  which  displays  itself  unostentatiously,  but  with  a 
pervading  and  delightful  presence."  —  Christian  Union. 

"  A  more  carefully  written  book  we  have  rarely  seen.  Its  composition  has  evi- 
dently been  a  labor  of  love ;  and  every  paragraph  bears  evidence  of  having  been 
written  with  the  care  which  only  a  man  of  leisure  and  of  earnest  thought  can  com- 
mand. In  many  respects  it  is  a  remarkable  book,  and  will  amply  repay  the  reader. 
It  is  to  be  read ;  not  for  the  narrative,  though  that  is  by  no  means  without  interest, 
but  as  a  storehouse  of  earnest  thought  and  valuable  suggestion."  —  The  Citizen  and 
Round  Table. 

* '  In  order  to  get  back  *  the  roses '  which  a  gay  and  tiresome  New  York  winter, 
together  with  some  hidden  heart-sorrow,  has  taken  from  her  cheeks,  the  heroine  has 
come  to  board  for  the  summer  at  a  farm-house  in  the  little  village  of  Shiloh.  And 
we  have,  in  this  book,  the  history  of  that  summer  as  she  writes  it  out  in  letters  to 
a  friend.  After  the  summer  is  ended,  she  says  :  '  I  came  to  it  seeking  rest.  I  got, 
first  work,  then  peace,  finally  joy.'  And  we  know,  when  we  have  read  her  letters, 
that  the  work  was  the  doing  of  whatever  good  she  could  find  to  do  among  the  people 
with  whom  she  was  thrown  ;  that  the  peace  was  that  quietness  of  soul  which  came 
when  she  had  gained  the  victory  over  self;  and  the  joy,  the  blessing  of  a  love  which 
she  had  thought  lost  to  her  forever.  In  closing  our  notice,  we  repeat  our  convic- 
tion of  having  been  brought  in  contact  with  a  writer  of  more  than  ordinary  power, 
with  a  deep,  thoughtful,  spiritual  nature,  which  has  imparted  to  '  Shiloh  '  so  much 
of  its  own  intensity  and  earnestness  as  cannot  fail  to  make  the  events  of  the  story 
linger  long  in  the  memory  of  the  reader,  and  their  many  lessons  help  him  very 
often  in  his  daily  living."— ^05/on,  Daily  Advertiser. 

"  It  is  a  sweet  book,  and  the  author  has  made  herself  a  name  by  it.  We  beg  her 
to  continue  as  she  has  begun.  There  is  a  high  seat  for  her  in  American  literature ; 
and  if  she  is  wise,  she  will  yet  occupy  it."  —  Providence  Press. 

"  The  style  is  singularly  simple,  clear,  and  graceful,  while  the  interest  and  variety 
of  situation,  incidents,  and  character,  are  such  as  to  secure  the  reader's  gratified  at- 
tention throughout."— CVucag-o  Interior. 

"  We  have  been  very  much  pleased  with  '  Shiloh.'  It  is  written  with  power  and 
sweetness.  It  breathes  throughout,  a  tender,  pure,  and  Christian  spirit,  seldom  ob- 
truded in  the  sermonizing  fashion  ;  but  permeating  the  whole  book,  and  giving  it 
what  may  be  styled,  a  moral  fragrance.  The  name  of  the  author  is  unfamiliar  to 
us,  but  unless  we  are  much  mistaken,  it  is  destined  to  become  the  name  of  a  very 
popular  author."  —  Sacramento  Record. 

Sent  by  mail,  postage  paid,  on  receipt  of  price. 

E.  P.  Dutton  &.  Co.,  Publishers,  713  Broadway,  New  York. 


SUNDAY  ECHOES   IN  WEEKDAY  HOURS. 

By  MKS    CAREY  BllOCK. 

3  vols.,  in  nice  box,  $-t.50. 


FIRST    SERIES. 

A  Tale  Illustrative  of  the  Collects. 

With  an  introduction  by  the  Kev.  J.  WilUanis,  D.  D.,  Bishop  of  Connect- 
icut. Twtuty-five  "(housami  copies  have  been  sold  in  England.  12mo, 
500  pages,  Sl.50. 

"  The  tone  of  womanly  piety  and  gentleness  pervading  the  entire  story,  and  the 
siuiplicity  with  which  the  writer  puts  forth  her  ideal  of  boyhood  and  treats  the 
Pi-ayer-b'ook  as  if  it  were  '  a  guide  to  the  play-grouud,'  will  win  the  sympathy  of 
adult  readers." —  AthencEum. 

"  A  book  which  we  most  cordial!}'  recommend."  —  Record. 

"  A  story  of  a  hoy's  life  at  school,  very  pleasant  to  read,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
very  profitable.  Many  children  who  learn  the  collects  every  Sunday,  without  uuder- 
Btanding  them,  m-^y  be  led  to  study  them  with  much  more  interest,  by  reading  of 
the  use  that  'Cecil  Williams"  made  of  them." —  Young  Christian  Soldier. 

"  A  story  of  a  little  boy's  school-life,  told  in  that  quiet  homeUke  style  so  generally 
characteristic  of  English  books  for  children,  and  for  the  most  part  so  conspicuously 
absent  from  our  own.  The  book  devotes  a  short  chapter  to  the  practical  illustration 
of  each  of  the  collects  of  the  Prayer-book,  taken  in  the  order  in  which  they  occur. 
Any  book  that  catches  and  shows  not  merely  the  marvelous  beauty,  but  also  the 
spirituality  and  strict  practical  meaning  of  the  collects,  in  a  manner  intelligible  to 
childhood  and  youth,  is  entitled  to  the  highest  praise.  This  praise  we  heartily 
accord  to  the  volume  before  us." —  Christian  Witness. 

SECOND    SERIES. 

A  Tale  Illustrative  of  the  Cliurch  Catechism. 

Thirteen  thousand  copies  have  been  sold  in  England.   12mo,  421  pages,  §1.50. 

"  To  illustrate  the  whole  Catechism  by  a  fictitious  narrative,  so  as  at  the  same  time 
to  exalt  the  doctrine  and  keep  the  fancy  awake,  was  a  great  undertaking.  But  it  is 
well  executed,  and  we  predict  for  the  volume  a  large  circulation." —  ClericalJournal. 

"  As  a  story  it  is  very  interesting,  while  it  enforces  in  the  plainest,  clearest,  and 
most  satisfactory  manner  the  full  meaning  of  the  weighty  sentences  in  our  Church 
Catechism.  A  little  girl  who  found  its  study  a  repulsive  task,  because  she  fniled  to 
comprehend  what  she  learned,  Ls  led,  in  the  story,  through  the  sympathetic  aid  of 
a  kind  lady,  to  love  its  teachings,  and  to  mould  her  life  by  them.  This  book 
deserves  a  place  in  every  household."  —  Episcopal  Register. 

"  We  can  unhesitatingly  and  heartily  commend  this  work  as  sound,  helpful,  inter- 
esting, and  instructive." —  Churchman. 

**  The  perusal  of  such  a  volume  may  be  worth  more  to  some  children  than  six 
months  of  Sunday  catechising  by  the  rector."  —  Banner  of  the  Church. 

"It  will  bring  the  important  lessons  of  the  Catechism  home  to  many,  to  whom 
now  it  is  only  a  dry  detail  of  doctrines  and  duties." —  Southern  Churchman. 

"  AU  Sundaj'-school  teachers  ought  to  have  this  book,  and  will  find  the  chapters 
quite  practicable  to  read  to  their  classes,  after  each  lesson."  —  Gospel  Messenger. 

"  This  is  an  admirable  and  exceedingly  interesting  book  for  the  youth  at  home. 
The  mother  who  would  lead  her  family  heavenward,  will  find  the  hour  or  two  every 
week  devoted  to  catechising  and  reading  to  her  children,  much  enlivened  by  the 
books  of  Mrs.  Brock."  —  Standard  of  the  Cross. 

THIRD  SERIES. 

Journeying-s  of  the  Children  of  Israel. 

Though  issued  but  a  short  time  in  England,  five  thousand  copies  have  already 
been  sold.     12mo,  484  pages,  Sl.50. 

*'  The  story  itself  is  interesting,  showing  how  Sunday  teaching  can  be  applied  to 
the  temptations  and  difiBculties  which  arise  during  the  week.  There  is  good,  sound, 
religious  instruction  in  these  Sunday  Echoes,  and  much  wise  counsel,  which  may  be 
profitable  to  all  readers,  great  or  email ;  and  children  will  feel  more  interest  in  th* 
Btory  of  the  Israelites  after  reading  it,  than  they  did  before."  —  Athenxum. 

f^^  Sent  by  mail,  postage  paid,  on  receipt  of  price. 

E.  P.  DUTTON   &    CO.,  Publishers, 

713  Broadway,  New  York. 


NEW    BOOKS. 

TO  BE  PUBLISHED  IN    THE  FALL  OF  1871. 


MY  WINTER  IN  CUBA.    By  W.  M.  L.  Jay,  Author  of  "  Shiloh." 

THE  HOME  AT  HEATHERBRiE.  A  Tale  by  the  Author  of 
"Everley." 

LITURGY  AND  WORSHIP  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ENG- 
LAND. Discourses  by  the  Rev.  C.  J.  Vaughan,  D.  D.  With 
an  Introduction  by  the  Rev.  H.  C.  Potter,  D.  D. 

MY  YOUNG  DAYS.  By  the  Author  of  "Evening  Amusements." 
With  twenty  illustrations  by  Paul  Konewka. 

A  TALE  OF  A  NEST.  By  the  Author  of  "  Little  Animals,"  with 
seventeen  wood-cuts. 

THE  ROSE  DALE  BOOKS  ;  or,  East  Reading  for  the  dear 
Little  Ones.    By  Mrs.  D.  P.  Sanford.     3  vols.    Illustrated. 

THEODORA.     A  Tale  for  Girls.    By  Emilia  Marrtat  Norris. 

ADRIFT  ON  THE  SEA;  or,  The  Children's  Escape.  By 
Emilia  Marrtat  Norris.     Illustrated. 

SUNNY  DAYS;  or,  A  Month  at  the  Great  Stowe.  Illus- 
trated. 

THE  GREY  HOUSE  ON  THE  HILL.  By  Mrs.  Greene,  Au- 
thor of  "  Cushions  and  Corners,"  etc. 

THE  CHURCH  CHORISTER.  Being  a  Manual  for  Training 
Singing  Boys.  By  Walter  B.  Gilbert,  Organist  of  Trinity 
Chapel,  New  York. 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  FOURTH  GOSPEL.  For  the  use  of  Bible 
Classes.    By  the  Rev.  Wm.  R.  Huntington. 

A  QUIET  HELPER  FOR  THE  SICK.  Text,  Prayer,  and  Hymn 
for  four  weeks.    In  large  type. 

— « —  . 

E.  P.  DUTTON  &  CO.,  Publishers, 
713  Broadway,  New  York. 


^^ 


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